[RightWhale]

Could terrorist groups of global reach be considered a nation in the same sense as the Bey of Tripoli had a nation? Or could Alqaida be considered a nation? If so, then a nation attacked the United States, and that certainly amounts to an act of war. If so, then we are at war with a nation that lacks recognized country borders, just as the President said.

[Texasforever]

. If so, then we are at war with a nation that lacks recognized country borders, just as the President said.

I think that is exactly right and the fact is that that is what Jefferson and Congress thought also. The point of this post was to try to clear up the argument that Congress "declared war" on the Barbary Pirates and that this congress should follow that precedent otherwise Bush is not exercising his war powers as CIC in a time of war unconstitutionally. The fact seems to be that he AND congress are following the exact model that Jefferson and his congress used.