(Um, the war IS legal. But since Ron Paul wrote the Constitution and is the oonnnnlllyyyy one who understands it, I guess he can say the war isn’t legal. Oh, and thanks for the condescension. The rest of us are stoopid)
Why can’t you respect other points of view? I read the comments that some of the people make against Ron Paul supporters. It sounds like Democrat tactics. Attack the person and not the ideas. I realize that we have a war of words, and some of us are not as sharp-tongued as others, but we should try to see the truth and be honest with issures.
Explain to me why Congress does not declare war? As far as I know WWII was the last declared war. We have to go to the UN and tiptoe around all the political correct positions. Meanwhile, we have lots of good people killed and wounded. I want us to WIN and so does Ron Paul, but there was a right way to do it, and we have not done it.
I posted this as a poitn of interest, I am now supporting Hunter, but Paul is my number 2 choice. That said concertning the venom of some to him and his supporters. When you are over the target you draw the largest amount of flak.
You know what (whether you support Ron Paul or not..) we should be discussing IDEAS not people; if the pro war people (and I am one of them) disagree with Paul; and I do on this issue: We should make the case for the war, and against Ron Paul’s ideas-not attack him and his supporters personally..
“Explain to me why Congress does not declare war?”
Because the situation in the GWOT is more similar to that during the Quasi-War with France and Caribbean activities against piracy in the 1820s than it is to the conflicts with Britain (War of 1812), Mexico (Mexican-American War), and either World War.
Going to the precident of the Quasi-War, Congress authorized American armed forces to seize French ships in the West Indies and Caribbean in retaliation for French siezures of American merchant shipping. It was not a declaration of war against France, merely the authorization of the use of force against limited French interests.
The anti-piracy campaing of the 1820s is most similar to the situation faced in the GWOT — extranational armed bands, some with the tacit support of national governments, others intimidating governments into accepting the use of their territory as bases attacking American interests both overseas and in American waters. Rather than declare war on all and sundry Congress authorized the use of force against pirates and their enablers.
The major difference between that and the GWOT is that the US Navy didn’t just lock up captured pirates at Gitmo. They found useful employment for those they caught — stretching rope.