"Congress has the power to declare war, not the President."
But once the Congress has granted the President the authority to take military action, which I believe did, after 9-11, HOW he does so should be HIS call, not Congres' or the Courts.
Nevertheless, your point about forcing the Democrat pacifists into a corner is an intersting one and I hope it plays out as you and I hope.
I see nothing wrong with Congress providing any level of oversight that they wish. I don't believe that the President has the authority to wage war if Congress withdraws that authority. From a practical standpoint, that gives Congress great power over the President. At the same time, the practical issues dictate that there is much that Congress cannot do. They can't make decisions that the commander in the field can make because they are not in the field.
The relationship between Congress and the President during war time is very similar to that between a customer and a businessman. The customer may not be able to dictate everything about a product, but if they choose not to buy, then there is no sale. Without funding, there is no war.