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One constitutional power used against the Barbary Pirates but not used in this conflict was "letters of marque and reprisal." These were governmentally approved private ships and forces -- the "privateers."

Also, regarding "an identified power to deal with," if this develops into a low-grade but recognized world war, we would seek to compel the then leaders of Iran and Saudi Arabia to guarantee the peace -- just as the Bey of Tripoli was the signer of the two Treaties of Peace and Amity that were signed to end the war against the Barbary Pirates.

Congressman Billybob

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I agree that this is a perfectly legal and Constitutional approach to the problem, and I'm mystified why we haven't pursued it. However, one issue I do have with the concept of issuing letters of marque and reprisal is that many vessels operated by privateers in the 18th and 19th Centuries rivaled the best of the men-o-war operated by the governments in that era. Indeed, many privateer vessels were constructed in the same yards that produced the USS Constitution, USS Ranger, USS Kearsarge, and other US-flagged vessels of the era. Today, I doubt that a private entity could successfully construct and operate any vessel equivalent to an attack submarine, aircraft carrier, or any capital ship. The capital outlay would be just too much, and any President foolish enough to authorize the deployment of nuclear ordnance by any private entity would be quickly impeached and forced out of office.

I would envision 21st Century privateers to be small, land-based units. I think the era of the sea-based privateer is over.

I would add one more caveat - sanction those leaders if insurgencies targeting Americans cropped up, and immediately unseat them from power if the insurgencies continued and/or if it could be proven that they were aiding and abetting them.