[mewzilla]

I'm sure we have plans for invading just about everyone, Spikey. Sheesh.

[alnick]

Although it makes no reference to Saddam Hussein’s government, the 15-page memo also seems to lay a legal groundwork for the president to invade Iraq—without approval of Congress—long before the White House had publicly expressed any intent to do so.

I would expect any president to take his time formulating his plans and investigating the legality of them long before he speaks publicly of them. Do they expect him to spout off uninformed thoughts publicly?

[Big Giant Head]

A Justice Department lawyer may have been laying the groundwork for the Iraq Michael Isikoff invasion long before it was discussed publicly by the White House.

< /Mike Isikoff tinfoil conspiracy >

[mrsmith]

There are no limits on the President's power to act militarily- in any way- in defense of the country.

That precedent goes all the way back to President Jefferson and his Secretary of State James Madison.

The key word is "defense".

[Cicero]

Have these newspaper reporters ever heard of contingency planning? Repeat after me: "Con-tin-gen-cy plan-ning."

Contingency planning includes legal powers as well as military planning for eventualities. Naturally the president would want to know what his powers are in the case of a national emergency like 9/11.

This propaganda ploy is getting very, very tired. If clinton did it, they would all marvel about how smart and on the job he was, preparing for anything that might happen (between golf games, world tours, and fund raisers).

[elephantlips]

"Secret memo?" As opposed to putting the memo in the NY Times?