Bill,
Therein lies the rub, so to speak. Our congress never declared war against North Korea, North Vietnam, Panama, Somalia, Haiti, Iraq, Afghanistan ... take your pick. You'll note that both Democratic and Republican presidents presided over the deployment of forces to these places or near these places. While it is true that the congress never declared war in these instances, the President, in his role as the commander in chief of the Armed forces has the ability to deploy those forces to places he deems necessary for our security.
This being said, the War Powers Resolution is (from Wiki):
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a United States federal law providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a United States federal law providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. The War Powers Resolution requires that the president notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war.
This is (my guess) how all of our Presidents, from both sides of the aisle, have been able to keep our Armed Forces in places past 60 days. Note the language The War Powers Resolution requires that the president notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days without an authorization of the use of military force or a declaration of war. In other words, if the congress authorizes it, troops can stay in an area indefinitely. Theoretically, anyway.
The fact is President Bush never had the Constitutional repsonsibility or right to declare war. If our elected Congressmen and Senators felt so strongly about our presence in Iraq and Afghanistan (and elsewhere), they were completely within their rights Constitutionally to call Mr. Bush on the carpet. The fact that they didn't speaks volumes about them as a body and us as a people.
I will say, from personal experience, that I often wondered what our elected leaders were thinking when they decided to send our Armed Forces in harm's way. As a Company Commander in the 82nd Airborne Division, I remember sitting on a cot, unable to sleep, trying to figure out one good reason for our intervention in Haiti. More importantly, I was trying to think of a good reason to provide to my men as to why they would soon be risking their lives (other than the obvious). Same goes for Somalia (started under Bush the Elder, and finished, ignominiously in my opinion, under President Clinton). As to our intervention in Iraq, and speaking only for myself, I've no doubt we did the right thing by removing Saddam from power. Where we screwed up was the aftermath. Lots of blame to go around for that, on both sides of the aisle IMHO.
Before Modder Dave steps in, let me just say I'm not trying to stir anything up. Personally, I think there are fingers that can be pointed in all directions as to the cause of our problems today. Democrats aren't immune, nor are Republicans, Independents, you name it. We're here because, I think, they forgot what the Constitution says. That's why I posted it - if they read it and adhered to what it says, maybe we wouldn't be where we're at today.
My two cents,
Alan
