The ability to post text does not infer the ability to interpret law.
"The elements of Article 90 and 92, the Authorization to Use Force, and the actual law which gives the SecDef the authority to implement Presidential combat orders down the chain of command ALL say that the President has to authorize the use of force. Those are the legal documents."
Nobody ordered Lakin to use force.
Lakin’s deployment was part of the surge in troop levels to Afghanistan - a surge that had to be authorized by “the President”. Without the President approving the SecDef’s plans for deployment schedules, movement, etc, there would be no authority for those orders.
I give my sources because whether people believe me or not, the law is there and it cannot be stepped over. It’s not just opinion. Words have meaning that can’t just be ignored or redefined.
At least not in a country with the rule of law. But then, that’s the real crux of this matter...