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- Oct 31, 2008
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Congress declares war & Presidents don't.
Congress already has the authority to restrain military operations by Presidents, assuming they care to exercise it. If they don't/won't exercise their powers, unnecessary legislation won't help.
War Powers Resoloution
Salient point within underlined by me:
So:
Q1) How far can the US military drive from Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Washingston State) or Fort Drum (Northern NY) in 48 hours before he needs to head to Congress?? A: Far enough
Q2) How much can they 'get done' in that 60 day window? 90 days if their withdrawal is active? A: A lot
Q3) Lastly, would Congress then authorize or deny him the funds to continue? A: The only unknown factor
So, I really don't expect to see this bill go anywhere (IMO), but if it did get out of committee and go to vote, it would certainly force each congressmen and women to take a position and to show if they're willing to stand for anything.
At this point, there's no point in debating whether such a war would be considered (legal terms) a 'just war' (jus ad bellum) because it's pretty obvious to most people even those blind and deaf that Canada poses no "threat" to the United States or it's sovereignty.
Most people is the key to the above. Some people don't act like most people. Putin's a good example of that!
IMO.
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I haven't researched this lately, but IIRC the Patriot Act (and subsequent renewals of it) gave POTUS more unilateral power to engage in hostilities.
It's unfathomable to me and most Americans that Trump is treating our allies so badly. There has to be some way to stop him.