You said that combat operations were authorized for Afghanistan. Who authorized those? Under the Authorization for the Use of Force that Congress gave in the War on Terror (shortly after 9-11-01), who did Congress say had the sole responsibility to decide when, where, and to what extent force would be used in the war on terror? I don’t believe Afghanistan was specifically mentioned, nor any other country; it was left to one specific person to decide when, where, and to what extent combat would be employed to confront terrorism. What person was that?
IOW, combat in Iran or any other country including Afghanistan WAS authorized, but with the stipulation that combat in any specific place could only happen when one specific person decided there would be combat operations there. What person is that? What one person could - right now - order my nephews in the USMC to board a plane to Iran to engage in combat there? Why can’t anybody else give that order RIGHT NOW?
Congress authorized President GW Bush to determine WHERE the war on terror would require operations. By then funding it, they gave their approval. That was the subject of a court case concerning Kosovo, and the court found that funding combat by Congress was the same as Congress authorizing combat operations, since they wouldn’t fund what they did not approve.
So again, CONGRESS - which has responsibility for declaring war - authorizes combat operations.
The President does not have the right to declare war. As CINC, he supervises the war, but Congress retains the power of the purse. If Congress doesn’t pay for operations, the President cannot pay the fuel to move anyone anywhere.
Further, you are ignoring the fact that Obama IS recognized as the President by the Congress, and therefor they give him the authority to act as such. If Congress desired it, they could remove Obama from office tomorrow. Congress, not the courts, has authority to remove a sitting President, just as they had the right to reject all of his electoral votes if they believed him unqualified.
Further, Obama was sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. All 3 branches of government recognize Obama as President. Obama IS currently the President of the USA. He has been put there by the votes of a majority of voters, two times, and accepted in office by Congress and the courts.
The US military cannot overthrow a sitting President. I believe Jim Robinson once pointed that out to you, in a discussion concerning Lakin - that the military doesn’t determine who the president is. The voters and Congress and the courts do that.
I am ashamed that a majority of Americans voted Obama in office once. Far worse was that they did it a second time. But that is the REAL WORLD - a place birthers don’t recognize since they do not live there.
In 2001-2005, GW BUsh was President. The loonie left could claim he was selected, not elected, but it didn’t matter. The American people believed GWB won without the majority vote. All 50 states, most members of Congress and thus the courts accepted him as President. Then as now, the military didn’t get to decide. We do not live in a banana republic, where the President serves at the pleasure of the military.
I have no idea why you think the military determines who the President is, but you are wrong.