He also hasn’t laid out the goal to the American people either.
If he announces (as he did) within a couple days of our attack that we’ve already won, how does he expect broad support if it takes 3 or 4 or 6 months to root out the ayatollahs? He himself has undercut the argument for greater sacrifice. In those 3 or 4 or 6 months, fuel prices will remain elevated, billions more will go into the war effort, and American casualties will mount. If he had a heart-to-heart with the American people, sitting behind the Resolute desk, and stated that we’ll need to make sacrifices to accomplish a lasting peace, a majority of Americans would support the war.
Say what you will about the Bushes, they did an awesome job of marketing their wars and rallying broad support both domestically and internationally.
“Say what you will about the Bushes, they did an awesome job of marketing their wars and rallying broad support both domestically and internationally.”
And what were they successful at doing?
I was being sarcastic
When you don’t know where you are going, any road will take you there and you can choose at what point the trip has ended.
There is a reason the Constitution requires all wars be declared by Congress. The language of the Constitution is clear. Congress, representing the people approves the war and the goal. The president, as commander in chief of the military, develops and executes the plan to achieve the goal through use of the armed forces. The Founders intentionally did not give the president the authority to take the nation war at any time and any place he chooses.
I can remember when President Lyndon Johnson took the nation to war in order to prevent South Vietnam from being conquered by communist North Vietnam. At one time the US, on the authority of the president, had over 500,000 US troops in Vietnam. After 8 years of war, over 50,000 dead Americans, and over $15 trillion dollars (2025 dollar value), the United States exited without victory. North Vietnam subsequently conquered South Vietnam and today united Vietnam is a communist country. One of the greatest tragedies in our nation’s history.
Then there is the Afghanistan war. . .