"A wise man should have money in his head, but not in his heart."
–Jonathan Swift
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"I can't tell you if the use of force in Iraq today would last five days, or five weeks, or five months, but it certainly isn't going to last any longer than that."
–Donald Rumsfeld, November 14, 2002
"It could last six days, six weeks. I doubt six months"
— Donald Rumsfeld, February 7, 2003
"I think it will go relatively quickly. Weeks rather than months."
— Dick Cheney, March 16, 2003
"No one is talking about occupying Iraq for five to ten years."
— Richard Perle, March 9, 2003
"It could be that, absolutely."
— George W. Bush, when asked of the United States would have troops in Iraq for the next ten years, January 11, 2008
Source: The War in Quotes, by G.B. Trudeau, p. 40-41 Oct 1, 2008
I would prefer Syria and Iran fight their own battle. House of Saud too.
What exactly do you want the US military to do? Occupy Isil's capital city and depose their gov't? Bomb their bases and military assets? I know- we can destroy their infrastructure while winning the hearts and minds of the people in the countryside.
I acknowlege we live in a world that needs walls, and those walls need to be guarded by Americans with guns. But when the sofa soldiers start advocating for reall American blood to be spilled for strategies they do not comprehend, I would rather support the troops, Reagan style:
~ C. Weinberger, US Secretary of Defense, Nov 28, 1984 (bolding mine)
Three years and still no action from the US House of Representatives the branch given duty under the Constitution to declare War??
Maybe they can 'repeal' Obamacare again again again again again again again again again again again. Or discuss that 'definitional problem' of rape some more.
PDog;
Let me help you.
The President is the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces.
He goes to Congress to request a declaration of war.
Remember Roosevelt doing that?
Congress acted on the request and passed the declaration of war.
Here is the text:
JOINT RESOLUTION Declaring that a state of war exists between the Imperial Government of Japan and the Government and the people of the United States and making provisions to prosecute the same.
Whereas the Imperial Government of Japan has committed unprovoked acts of war against the Government and the people of the United States of America:
Therefore be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That the state of war between the United States and the Imperial Government of Japan which has thus been thrust upon the United States is hereby formally declared; and the President is hereby authorized and directed to employ the entire naval and military forces of the United States and the resources of the Government to carry on war against the Imperial Government of Japan; and, to bring the conflict to a successful termination, all the resources of the country are hereby pledged by the Congress of the United States.
It was passed by the Congress and signed by the President.
More recently Obama has just used our armed forces, think Libya, without bothering to get a declaration.
I guess Obama now thinks he needs a declaration of war because he has claimed he successful terminated the last one in Iraq. You figure.
Much like Richard Nixon's incursions into Cambodia and Laos, Ronald Reagan's invasion in Grenada, George H.W. Bush's resolution of support for liberating Kuwait (that did not read as a declaration of ar because since passage of the War Powers Act in 1973, both branches of government are leery of doing that), George W. Bush's resolution of support (again, not a declaration of war but a pat on the back accompanied by the phrase, "Go get'em") for invading Iraq to find those pesky weapons of mass destruction.
Worm, for someone who works in a library, I would expect you to be more up on your history.
declaration of war because……
No President has "bothered to get" a declaration of war since FDR did for our entry into WWII. And congress seems to prefer it that way since it allows them to escape most responsibility. If your constituents turn against the "military action" or "police action" you can always say, hey, I was mislead or we gave him the power and he screwed it up.
Back in the day, Congress passed the declarations of war on Japan and then on Germany. Roosevelt signed them. He did not take unilateral action as Commander in Chief without Congress. We have not formally been at war since WWII. Korea was a "police action" and everything since has been something other than a formally declared war with the term "war" used as short hand to describe whatever the hell it is. Talking about wars on terrorism, crime, drugs, Christmas, etc. has further rendered the term meaningless in any legal sense.
There is a difference between granting war powers and a formal Declaration of War by Congress. It may be a Kabuki distinction but it's one that our cowardly congress members have preferred since they last had the balls to take full responsibility for an officially declared war back in 1941.
If you don't like the way it's worked since the mid 20th century, demand that your elected pols in Congress take back their power to declare war by passing Declarations of War, in caps, instead of relinquishing it to and hiding behind the President, ready to bail at a moment's notice. This goes for R and Dem pols alike, especially the Dem presidential aspirants of the early 2000s, like HRC and Kerry, who voted Bush war powers out of political cowardice in fear that if the Iraq "military action" (or whatever) was the quick success that Cheney claimed it would be and they were on record as being wimpy anti-war (or whatever) liberals who had voted against it, their chances of becoming President would be shot. For HRC this was a particular concern since, being a woman, she felt particularly the need to look tough. They knew it was based on bull. This modern practice hasn't exactly covered our elected officials in glory on either side of the aisle.
aside from all the great arguments against AC's lies and warmongering already given, there's the plain fact that no matter what Obama does or says they will always criticize it and work to undermine it – even if it works.
Exactly. If Obama does it, it's wrong.
Libya is an interesting choice there troll-boy. The WPA allows Obama to use force for a period of time, as any idiot knows so I am not surprise you may not.
In Libya when he went to Congress to ask for additional funds, you may recall if you had any integrity, which again I am therefore not surprised you neglect to remember: Congress said no.
Congress could act, Congress does nothing. The GOP led Congress is historically shown to be the most useless bunch of do-nothing know-nothing waste-of-taxpayer dollars that has ever existed in this Republic’s history, and that–troll–is on your party.
Not only did they say no to Libya, but all they could do is chant, "Benghazi, Benghazi, Benghazi" over and over again. How many committees do they have working on that one?
BENGHAZI!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
Repeal Obamacare! Benghazi!
I’m seeing a pattern there.
The Zen of the contemporary GOTP.
And what 'declartion of war in Iraq' ?
Crack head.
Rand Paul, probable 2016 Presidential candidate, wants to "Shut the Whole (Government) thing down!"
So, um…how do you run to be elected to lead something you want to shut down?
Not seeing whatever graphics or cartoons AC posted, but the President's asking Congress to authorize military force against ISIL is long overdue. The last time a President had Congressional authorization, as required by the Constitution, was in 2002 when GW Bush asked for it after lying about WMDs in Iraq.
I think Duke is right, that
But even if all the US does is play a "supporting role", Congress must do its Constitutional duty and authorize, or at least debate authorization. Unfortunately, our Colorado Senator Gardner seem to be stricken with chickenshit-itis, brought on by too much slurping corrupt Tea Party beverages. He says "It's Obama's job" to decide what to do about ISIS.
Meanwhile, today, ISIL is threatening an air base where 320 American soldiers are training Iraqi troops. So time's running out for someone to decide.
.
That Shrub was asking for a resolution of support, not a formal declaration of war.
Authorization to Use Military Force – same as the current one. Neither time was war officially declared.
ISIS/ ISIL has captured the town of Al-Baghdadi, within striking distance of the Al-Asad air base where the 300 US Marines are training Iraqi troops. Eight suicide bombers were killed as they attempted to enter the base.
AC remains an idiot. There was no declaration of war, in Afghanistan or Iraq, and Boehner's Congress is a bunch of cowards that hasn't done its job in at least 6 years.
Exactly. That's more accurate than the term I used.. war powers. In any event we haven't formally declared war on anyone since WWII.
There is a reason why the troll's latest droppings have to go back to Roosevelt and Wilson, and yes there have been GOP presidents since then that have waged what is, as we all know, war without a Congressional declaration.
The memes it leaves in big stinky piles are clearly geared to the lowest denominator of the totally stupid knuckle-dragging low-info frightened of everything voters, that it is no wonder AC finds them informative.
Why, old codger that I am, I remember when Saint Reagan invaded Grenada.
Codger on!
i remember that too, . . . what I can't remember if that was before, or after, he sold arms to our ally the Ayatollah to fund that congressionally-declared war in Nicaragua and El Salvador????
And cut taxes for the wealthy in order to eliminate the deficit!
…a (failed) idea perpetuated by the Jr.:
All that worry for nothing. Gee. What a relief.
Chuck Bonniwell (Weekend Wakeup with Chuck and Julie, 710KNUS, Sat: 6-9 am), today for the 2nd time praising Colorado Pols for coverage of the state GOP leadership race and trashing Colorado Peak Politics as "worthless".
Conservative Chuck Bonniwell owns the Glendale Chronicle and pays Peter Boyles to write nonsense columns in it?
This http://glendalecherrycreek.com/staff/ Chuck Bonniwell?
The very same. A strong Steve House supporter, of course.
BTW. Happy Valentine's Day !
Likewise , BC, I hope you like cybernetic flowers and candy…

Who doesn't?