Posted on 11/28/2007 1:18:09 PM PST by ksen
AG Gonzales "There was not a war declaration, either in connection with Al Qaida or in Iraq. It was an authorization to use military force.
I only want to clarify that, because there are implications. Obviously, when you talk about a war declaration, you're possibly talking about affecting treaties, diplomatic relations. And so there is a distinction in law and in practice. And we're not talking about a war declaration. This is an authorization only to use military force."
There is precedence for this as in 1815 when the UK, Russia, Austria and other Coalition members declared war specifically on Napoleon and not on France. However, Coalition forces marched on Paris and occupied France for a number of years even after napoleon was exiled.
If there was no declaration of war, then what is this War on Terrorism Bush is always talking about? A day does not go by when someone in Washington isn't using "The War" as a reason for something that doesn't set well with the public.
Could this war on terrorism be another one of those "forever wars" like war on crime, war on drugs, war on poverty etc?
That's why Jefferson went after the Barbary pirates without a declaration. Same reason that even Ron Paul supported the Afghanistan action. al Qaeda was not one nation. Remember, bin Ladin was a Saudi/Yemeni (still not clear which), as were 15 of 19 hijackers.
Who do you declare war against? The average Afghani certainly didn't have anything to do with 9/11, hell, the nation at large didn't have anything to do with it.
The Taliban got smacked around because they were sponsoring al Qaeda, and they're not in power any more.
No. The Barbary Pirates was the second undeclared US war.
The Quasi War with France was the first undeclared US war.
US declared wars:
1. Independence
2. 1812
3. First Seminal War
4. Second Seminal War (never officially ended).
5. Mexican-American War
6. Civil War
7. Spanish-American War
8. WWI
9. WWII
Everything else, starting with the Quasi War (1798) with France has been conflicts other than war...
But sorry, there is no "highest attorney" -- the legal opinion of the US attorney General is equal to that of any citizen.
Good answer but even as informed as it is it is still incorrect. Try again!
“This is an authorization only to use military force.””
The irony is you can now apparently invade a country, depose its long-standing government with which the US for decades has normal relations with, and establish a new one, while maintaining military occupancy, and not be at war.
Not commenting on the specific politics of Iraq in particular (this would apply to Panama as well, though in theory the canal treaty justifies anything the US wants to say it justifies), but it seems the US will never declare war against someone again?
“depose its long-standing government with which the US for decades has normal relations with”
should read *had*
Actually the US declared war on Japan on that date. We later declared war on Germany and Italy on December 11th, following their unprovoked declaration of war on us. Even later we declared war on Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary on June 5, 1942.
Nothing since then.
Old news GWB, Hyde speaking to Ron Paul was a bit more important to me at least.
The terrorists made the declaration. We responded.
I said before the invasion of Iraq that war should be declared even though legally it wasn’t required. Since then this has been discussed many times on FR and most have insisted that war was declared even though it wasn’t. I do not support Ron Paul even if he is right about this.
You don’t care? Why don’t we just trash the Constitution then and be done with it?
Being at war does not require you declare war if you are the USA under the Constitution. It would be a good idea, as subsequent domestic events have demonstrated, but it is not legally required.
Thanks for the correction. But did I say anything else....I don’t think so. I knew that!
Thanks for the ping. Good find, ksen.
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