He has the power, however, to wage war as long as his stockpile of men and materiel lasts. And given an almost $1 trillion a year war budget, that's quite a long time.
The Congress has no power to substitute their authority for the President's over the military under the Constitution. If they don't like what he's doing, they can impeach or not fund the military, the latter being the ultimate check by English parliaments on royal war waging.
defunding never happens in practice
“The Congress has no power to substitute their authority for the President’s over the military under the Constitution.”
Yeah, they literally do. Article I, Section 8, Clause 11: Congress has the power to declare war, issue letters of Marque and Reprisal etc. Congress is the superior branch of the US government and has the ultimate say.
The President cannot simply make war as he pleases until that years defense authorization runs out. Not even the modern war powers act tries to say that. Where did you get that deranged idea?
Not true at all. Congress has supreme authority on setting the rules of the military, telling forces to stop piracy, insurrections and invasions. The entire point of it, is for congress to tell a potus what to do, and such potus execute the war when directed. Congress and a State are the only authorities granted the ability of war.
congress has the authority to declare war.
But since WWII, there were no declared wars fought anywhere.
It is all just military actions.
Anyway. Congress is quite slow.
In the time of ballistic nukes, in case of nuclear attack, military cannot wait until congress gathers, debates and votes.
So military actions were in emergency delegated to president, the commander in chief.