This is incorrect. The AUMF for Iraq and Afghanistan were extensive, but Congress has not granted the President new war powers outside of the 1973 law which exists to restrict the president’s use of the military outside of an AUMF or Declaration of War only when there is a national emergency created by attack on the US, our territories, or our armed forces and puts a specific timeline on those activities too.
There is no constitutional or statutory basis to support the President’s current actions. The war he started is unlawful, all orders furthering it are unlawful, anyone giving or executing those orders is operating outside of the constitutional constraints that exist to ensure the military serves the people and protects the constitution from enemies – in this case the President and the Secretary of Defense.
First, the true narrative is that the Republican Party has made Congress irrelevant. Let’s get that straight, please.
Second, the Epstein War (I’m personally sticking with that moniker) is just that, a deflection from all the bad news the President, his Cabinet, and the Republican Party are facing with elections coming up shortly. It will only get worse as that time approaches.
We cannot let any Republican take a breath. This group of individuals is responsible for the unfortunate deaths of soldiers and civilians (US and foreign). They need to go - directly to jail if we’re honest. Someone should take out Kerry’s words and paraphrase them once again for those who intentionally forget them, “How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?” After today’s fiasco of a press conference, the President owes the public the answer to this question. And so does the entire Republican Party.
And I don’t think there’s any harm in calling their offices and asking them to explain how killing 175 little girls in the elementary school bombing helps create freedom for the Iranian people. At least I asked that of Gottheimer and Moscowitz.
Now that it is totally clear that Trump has no clear idea why he started this war, nor any idea of what its objective is, nor, it follows, what would bring about its end, we are at the point, I would propose, where further orders to continue the war are illegal. With an AWOL congress, “blow stuff up in that country until I say stop,” clearly does not amount to a constitutionally legitimate order from the President. That means, for, say, the first Lieutenant flying the F-15, “go blow up this building in Shiraz” is an illegal order.
When will Mark Kelly, or someone else, point out to members of the US military that 1) they are carrying out illegal orders, and that 2) god willing, they will be held legally accountable for doing so, and that 3) they should therefore refuse to obey such orders.
But your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
They’re already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don’t like killin’, no matter what the reason’s for
And your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
[Chorus]
But your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
We’re already overcrowded from your dirty little war
Now Jesus don’t like killin’, no matter what the reason’s for
And your flag decal won’t get you into Heaven anymore
As I’ve noted before: When a party has adopted, as a matter of faith and doctrine, that “government is the problem, not the solution”, nobody should be surprised when they turn out to suck at governing.
You’re quite right. Many of those 71 million chuckleheads do appear to be genuinely surprised that the anti-governing party they’ve elected is, in fact, really lousy at governing.
Welcome to the War Powers Resolution of 1973. Congress made it perfectly legal for the President to send American forces to attack a foreign nation if he gives a report to Congress outlining the reasons and goals within 48h, and then giving him up to 90 days of military action, 30 of which have to be primarily concerned with getting American forces out of whatever territory they’ve gone into.
That’s still the law of the land.
It was intended to prevent another Vietnam, but it’s become license to do whatever you like. Reagan used it to hit Libya, invade Grenada, put troops into Lebanon, etc. Obama used it for strikes into Libya, too.
Rubio’s two briefings to the Gang of 8 are clearly the ‘informing Congress’ part, since that’s the party leaders from each House, and the Intelligence Committee leaders from each House, so that they can then brief their caucuses.
Also notice how he’s avoiding boots on the ground? If there’s nobody in Iran, those last 30 days can keep on being air strikes.
And all of it is perfectly legal, and has been for 50 years.
Yup, and Schumer’s statements today make it clear that Rubio’s two briefings attempted to establish the ‘emergency’. And so far, nothing’s exceeded the timeline.
I’m not saying Trump and his corrupt administration want some kind of retaliatory attack on U.S. soil, but like Republican administrations before him, if one does happen as a consequence of his stupid actions, he will gleefully use it as an excuse to try to grab even more power. I genuinely fear for the mid-terms.
