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Saddam obviously did not inspire that kind of fear, but plenty of people were afraid of him, and with good reason.

Gee, Charley, just last week you were saying that the disheveled state that Saddam was in when we pulled him out of that hole showed he wasn't really a threat.

President Bush didn't ask for a formal declaration, and Congress gave him a resolution. Both branches of our government disregarded the Constitution. Congress conceded a grant of power to the president that the Constitution does not authorize. This is an abuse of power.

Uh, Charley, the Constitution does not state the manner in which war is to be declared. Bush attacked Iraq after a resolution was passed by Congress authorizing force. Congress gave its assent. Bush did not act without the backing of Congress.

I've often said that the worst possible job in the world would have been to be Saddam's public-relations adviser. He had a nasty habit of greeting advice he didn't like with gunfire or the torture chamber.

"You weak minded fool! He's using an old Jedi mindtrick!"

Charlie makes some valid points. In the 60s, Congress used the fraudulent Tonkin Gulf Resolution to give the President the power to commit troops to Vietnam in any number he wanted and for as long as he wanted. In essence, they abdicated their right to declare war. After passing the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, the cowards in the Congress proceeded to snipe at the President over the conduct of the war - the very same Congress that gave him the authority to commit the troops.

In the 80s, the Congress again abdicated its responsibility to declare war by passing the War Powers Act. The War Powers Act gave the President the ability to commit troops for as much as 60 days to a hostile engagement before Congress had to get involved to extend or terminate the commitment.

Congress has typically taken these cowardly approaches to circumvent the Constitution and avoid taking responsibility for what may later be considered "unpopular" wars. In all candor, the cowards we have in the Congress today aren't worthy of the position and, had we had this same bunch in office in 1776, we would still be a British colony.

It's bad enough to lose one's liberty; it's even worse to throw it away.

To late!

The Constitution was discarded with the ratification of the 16th and 17th amendment. All that remains are a few loose ends which are handled with considerable ease.

Wow, Charley. A whole column and only one idiocy (the gratuitous and erroneous dragging in of Churchill). Better paper your day room with this one cuz sure as shootin', you will come out screaming in red Keds with you hair on fire next time.