“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.
http://www.c-span.org/resources/pdf/hjres114.pdf
However, Paul and his sheep don’t like it because the words ‘declare war’, specifically in that order, were not in there.
;->
GWOT is more like activities against piracy, but we didn’t invade and occupy counties during the actions against piracy.
The seizure of ships was a common practice during those days that usually didn’t lead to war, though it did (War of 1812 was over British seizure of ships and conscription of American sailors.)
The most we did was bomb a city and threaten to overturn a government in favor of another domestic faction, but we didn’t do anything approaching the 4 year Iraqi occupations.
It feels as if this war was a setup by the Democrats more than anything. Ted Kennedy is the ringleader to destroy are Constitution. The merits of this war has been taken out through slick liberal manipulation.
When Congress did not declare war we were bound to be attacked and discredited by the Liberals.