The War Powers Act gives him the authority to do what he is doing.
Only to the extent he notifies Congress within 48 hours of commencing hostilities and ceases hostilities within 60 days. Either hussein thinks he can get in and out within 60 days and doesn't need to hazard a vote, or he'll need to get Congressional authorization under the War Powers Act.
Once he goes to Congress for approval, that is the chance to strike down obamacare just like the Dems forced Bush Sr to go back on his no new taxes pledge in return for authorizing Desert Storm.
The War Powers Act doesn’t imagine a situation where you first go to the UN to get authorization while avoiding Congress.
Can you explain that. Because I thought congress needed to authorize as they had the power to declare war.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548) was a United States Congress joint resolution providing that the President can send U.S. armed forces into action abroad only by authorization of Congress or if the United States is already under attack or serious threat. Legally, he cannot do so unilaterally without one or the other. Libya hardly constitues a serious threat to this country. If the arabs want a no fly zone let them use their own resources. The very same people who screamed about the death of Iraqi civilians are willing to risk the death of Libyan civilians.
Actually, I don't think it does.
150 USC 1541(c): The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to
(1) a declaration of war,
(2) specific statutory authorization, or
(3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
There is no declaration of war, there is no statutory authorization as far as I know, and there is no attack on US territory or armed forces.
The 48-hour report requirement doesn't override these basic restrictions on the prerequisites for commencing hostilities against a foreign nation. And launching Tomahawk missiles into sovereign territory counts as "hostilities."