[1066AD]

What this president need to do is DECLARE WAR OFFICIALLY
Declare war on who ? Doesn't a declaration of war require a country to be named ? Wouldn't it in some way 'legitimize' AQ to name them ? I agree some sort of declaration could be useful but once again, we're in a new world where existing laws and practices struggle to be applicable in many cases.

[Jim Noble]

Doesn't a declaration of war require a country to be named ?

No.

[Dog Gone]

Excellent questions. The only possible reason I can think of for "officially declaring war" is that it could trigger some of the rules of war, including how neutral nations should observe blockades, etc.

None of that applies to an enemy that no country officially endorses and that holds no political or government office.

Under our Constitution the President must seek congressional approval for military action. He did. He got it. Calling it "war" may provide some warm fuzzies for people who think we're not taking it seriously enough, but I don't think anyone in the Bush Administration considers it a laughing matter.