[Restorer]

In an address before the House on Feb. 15, 1848, Abraham Lincoln had said: ''Allow the president to invade a neighboring nation whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion and you allow him to do so whenever he may choose to say he deems it necessary for such purpose, and you allow him to make war at pleasure. Study to see if you can fix any limit to his power in this respect. If today he should choose to say he thinks it necessary to invade Canada, to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may say to him 'I see no probability of the British invading us,' but he will say to you: 'Be silent: I see it, if you don't.' ''

I must be missing something here. If I'm not confused, Honest Abe did not have to worry about a sneak attack with WMDs.

I think that makes direct application of his thoughts remarkably inappropriate for today's world.

[nosofar]

If I'm not confused, Honest Abe did not have to worry about a sneak attack with WMDs. I think that makes direct application of his thoughts remarkably inappropriate for today's world.

I disagree. There were sneak attacks long before 'WMD's existed. The principle is that if the President can invade a nation (or authorize any other military action on foreign soil) because he sees the current situation in that nation as a threat (or future threat), he may also do so merely by declaring this threat to exist whether or not it really does. This is applicable to any war and always will be. I would disagree with the original statement by Lincoln (maybe it's a little out of context), although I also think it's necessary for the President to have a greate deal of evidence to support any decision of this kind.