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Bill Clinton (1993–2001)
- Somalia (1993): Airstrikes supported U.S. operations without specific congressional approval.
- Bosnia (1993–1995): Clinton ordered airstrikes as part of NATO operations without explicit congressional authorization.
- Kosovo (1999): Clinton authorized NATO-led airstrikes in Serbia/Kosovo, continuing beyond the War Powers Resolution’s 60-day limit, arguing implicit congressional approval through funding. Critics challenged this as unconstitutional.
- Iraq (1998): Operation Desert Fox involved airstrikes without specific congressional approval, relying on prior AUMFs.
- Sudan and Afghanistan (1998): Airstrikes on al-Qaeda targets followed embassy bombings, justified under executive authority.
Barack Obama (2009–2017)
- Libya (2011): Obama ordered airstrikes as part of a NATO campaign without congressional approval, arguing the actions didn’t constitute “hostilities” under the War Powers Resolution. This was highly controversial.
- Syria (2014–2017): Airstrikes against ISIS relied on the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs, despite debate over their applicability, without new congressional approval.
- Iraq (2014–2017): Renewed airstrikes against ISIS used existing AUMFs.
- Yemen, Somalia, Pakistan: Extensive drone strikes targeted militants, justified under executive authority and the 2001 AUMF, with no specific congressional approval. In 2016, the U.S. dropped 26,171 bombs, mostly in Syria and Iraq.
- Afghanistan: Continued airstrikes, with a 40% increase in 2016, relied on prior authorizations.
Joe Biden (2021–2025)
- Syria (2021): Biden ordered airstrikes on Iranian-backed militias without specific congressional approval, citing self-defense and existing AUMFs.
- Yemen (2024): Airstrikes on Houthi targets in response to Red Sea attacks lacked specific congressional authorization, drawing criticism from lawmakers.
- Afghanistan, Somalia: Limited airstrikes continued under prior AUMFs.
  12 Comments
  Alexander Hamilton:...when a foreign nation declares, or openly and avowedly makes war upon the United States, they are then by the very fact, already at war, and any declaration on the part of Congress is nugatory: it is at least unnecessary.
  Trump has 48 hours to notify Congress, and up to 90 days total before needing formal authorization. We’re well within that window. - https://floppingaces.net/most-wanted/presidents-and-instances-of-bombings-without-congressional-approval-a-history-lesson/

As Donald Trump assumes office today, he inherits a targeted killing program that has been the cornerstone of U.S. counterterrorism strategy over the past eight years. On January 23, 2009, just three days into his presidency, President Obama authorized his first kinetic military action: two drone strikes, three hours apart, in Waziristan, Pakistan, that killed as many as twenty civilians. Two terms and 540 strikes later, Obama leaves the White House after having vastly expanding and normalizing the use of armed drones for counterterrorism and close air support operations in non-battlefield settings—namely Yemen, Pakistan, and Somalia.

Throughout his presidency, I have written often about Obama’s legacy as a drone president, including reports on how the United States could reform drone strike policies, what were the benefits of transferring CIA drone strikes to the Pentagon, and (with Sarah Kreps) how to limit armed drone proliferation. .... many needed reforms were left undone—in large part because there was zero pressure from congressional members, who, with few exceptions, were the biggest cheerleaders of drone strikes.

If I remember correctly, one of Clinton’s air strikes accidentally bombed a Chinese (or was it Japanese) embassy, killing some people.

And remember - Obama droned an American Citizen who should have been brought back to the US, if possible, and faced a Treason charge and then hung. Where was this American’s due process?

What about those GBU Cigars?

Don’t forget the flying ashtrays.

The Clintoon Film Festival

He averted other military ventures by selling every military secret we had to the Chinese for ‘campaign’ cash.

Clitoon validated “Wag the Dog” for using military action to overcome political fallout.