SYRIAN WAR: Prepare For The Worst - Hope For The Best

#41

A small point of clarification… Article I, Section 8 gives the power to declare war to Congress only. The president becomes commander and chief of the military once they are activated by a declaration from congress. This is not unlike any other provision of law… congress makes it and the president enforces it.

Of course as presidents will do, LBJ stretched presidential authority in VietNam and congress wanting to restrain the president enacted the War Powers Act… and again, as presidents do, subsequent presidents have abused its authority. It was designed with the flexibility for the president to act immediately in case of imminent danger… now presidents take it as a blank check to pound anyone they choose for 60 days…

While I agree with you that Obama showed a limp wrist about US resolve in ‘DEFENDING’ ourselves, our constitution never intended for us to use the power we give to the federal government to defend our nation as a grant to be the worlds policemen or moral dictator.

#42

Well stated Scott. I might add that the War Powers Act is an authority given to the President, but it is a power they do not have to give.

#43

President Trump followed the War Powers Act .He had 48 hrs to notify Congress. .Can you imagine Pelosi and other Liberals doing whatever they could to interfere and shaft the President .
He had to act quickly to not loose the tactical advantage of surprise .Congress doesn’t direct the military’s tactics .
Good Job, Mission Accomplished!!!

#44

This is a great post by a syrian leftist who opposes US intervention.

#45

I find this “Anti-Imperialism of Idiots” piece kind of baffling. First of all, Trump’s stage-managed missile attacks have amounted to little more than expensive fireworks shows and have not inspired significant protests in the US by “authoritarian leftists” as the author claims. Second, our most important and effective intervention in Syria has been our collaboration with the leftist Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces, which eliminated most of the ISIS Caliphate from east of the Euphrates. Nobody’s protesting that intervention but the Turks. Beyond that, the US seems to have no “imperialist” designs on eastern Syria and is allowing people in those liberated territories to govern themselves and their resources as they see fit.

#46

Hopefully the Kurds will have either a separate state or a Semi-Autonomous state .