Every single member of the Constitutional Convention, every single author of the Federalist Papers, everyone involved in the creation of the US Constitution agreed that ONLY CONGRESS had the power to declare war. Do you understand that? Because I'm really starting to wonder if you do. It's that f*cking simple. The POTUS can NOT declare war. That the Congress will Declare War was considered the Crown Jewel of the Constitution. During Wartime the Executive gets the taxes, the glory, the secrecy, the power, the footprints in the sands of time and the Founding Fathers understood that since the dawn of time, from Emperors to Executives, leaders use War to garnish that power and fame. AND so they put a big f*cking check on that power. What don't you get? It really doesn't matter if Ghaddafi is shooting little old ladies in the face on the street. The CONGRESS declares war. Someone please impeach this disappointment of a POTUS. If Americans are too stupid to know and appreciate their own God damn Constitution then they deserve exactly what's coming to them. Americans are so f*cking out of touch with reality they really don't deserve such a wonderful peace of History. As a matter of fact, I seem to remember someone here suggesting somewhere we had "out grown" the US Constitution. What a f*cking joke. The only thing Americans have outgrown is size 50. Mentally we more ignorant than ever. People get the government that they deserve and I'm looking forward to the next few years it should be interesting.
Michael, you are right in that Libya ia not a threat to the U.S.A. but they did support terrorism that took a plane full of mostly Americans down over Lockerbie well before 9-1-1. The Libyan government is a threat to it's own people apparently when it will not ceed to their will. Obama specifically stood down from having the U.S. take a lead role in the actions approved by the U.N. and Nato.
Nope, it has nothing to do with the oil. It has to do with a dictator killing his own people who are fighting for change just as other countries in the area did and are doing.
No Michael, it’s not that simple despite how many times you say it. World politics, and associated military aggression, is rarely simple and Middle Eastern politics and the current Libyan crisis is certainly not an example of a simple state of international affairs. On the contrary, it is a complex multi-faceted situation that involves many countries and many different interests. It is certain to involve diplomatic back-room discussions that the general public are not privy to. It is a situation that defies the application of simple ideas based on mass media reporting. The more you do so, the more apparent it becomes that you have an a priori anti-Obama and anti-liberal position and that you want to put up strawmen arguments with which to attack Obama no matter what he does, or doesn’t, do. One example (of many) Strawman! That’s not what has happened. Perhaps you could try again to describe the situation? (Hints: It involves NATO, a UN resolution with limitations, and Britain and France doing most of the grunt-work.)
Firstly, I think it is that simple. Even that ass face Bush went to Congress. Secondly, Obama is being sued by a number of Senators as we speak for not seeking Congressional approval in the time given under the law. Thirdly, the argument Obama is making is that he does not need to seek Congressional Approval because we are so overwhelmingly powerful and Libya so overwhelmingly so, it's not really a war. Ergo, if the POTUS were to call for the land invasion of some small Pacific Island, murder the Citizens there, he or she could unilaterally do so because, it's a walk in the park - not "War". Do you want to ride down THAT slippery slope. Fourthly, I'm liberal. I voted for Obama the Senator. I now see that was stupid. Fifth, NATO and/or the UN does not supersede the US Constitution - which is the foundation of all law in the US. Sure, it's been shit on for the last 80 years, but too bad, it's still the Law in the US. Sixth, I don't watch TV and so I have no idea what the "Media" is crapping our of their mouths. What I do know is that Obama the Senator ran on an anti-War platform. Obama the megalomaniac has invaded 2 more middle eastern countries, continues to fund the wars Bush started, extended the "Patriot Act", continues to support "torture-light" in Cuba and has overseen the too big to fail banks who fund his campaign into the even f*cking bigger to fail. I don't need "Corporate Media" telling me jack shit to know Obama is not the Citizen I want standing up for the People of the USA. Lastly, all of these arguments about the Libyan leader doing this that or the other thing to his own people does not mean jack shit all. The POTUS can not declare War. ONLY CONGRESS CAN DECLARE WAR. It is THAT simple. One more time: ONLY CONGRESS CAN DECLARE WAR. Simple enough?
Why don't you tell me. If China were shooting 100s of cruise missiles into Taiwan, don't you think that would be an act of War? What else would it be? Defense? Defense of the motherland from rebels trying to breakaway. Or I know, a China 3 decades from now is so overwhelmingly militarily and economically powerful that they can crush Taiwan in a few months - who'd call it "War". How about if Russia started shooting cruse missiles into US cities. You don't think that would be an act of War. Imagine a day when a minority of Mexican immigrants rioted in New Mexico and California and the US military was called in. Then cruse missiles started dropping into Washington and on the White house. THAT WOULDN'T BE WAR? Come off it. If Obama wants to invade Libya then that's just too f*cking bad. He can't do it. He needs Congress to DECLARE WAR. I hope the courts find him guilty and he's impeached.
You see Michael the thing is if they call it something else besides war then blamo bombs away , blow em up . We learned that with Vietnam. See war was never declared . I forget what the Government called it ? An Aggression Maybe ? No I don't think that was it ? It was called something else and war was never declared so the President didn't feel the need to get approval . I think the words now are " Humanitarian effort " Or something like that . I know it is bogus . Just like the day Bush announced to us Americans we were attacking Iraq. I am looking at the T.V. thinking What ? You sure bout this Prez. I don't know , foolish move . Shit I had just seen a show on the discovery channel on how Iraq was are good buddies now propaganda . It was like , fuck what indoctrination am I to believe on Wednesday for it is only Tuesday
I don't mean to come off sounding like a dick, but the POTUS can NOT declare war. What's wrong with Americans? Someone feeds them a sob story about freedom fries in Libya and we're willing to toss 200+ years of US Law and tradition out the window? Haven't we learned ANYTHING at all? The Libyan people do not share our culture. Get that in your f-ing head. Their idea of "Freedom" is no where near the same liberal secular ideas we base our ideal of Freedom on. You do know in Afghanistan, the State can legally sentence a Christian to DEATH for claiming Mohammad was not a Prophet - even conversion out of Islam is a crime punishable by death there. AND THOSE are the ones on OUR SIDE. Yeah, they're free alright. Well worth concessions in OUR Liberty wasn't it? Or are we going to keep bombing them until ...what? Afghan girls are "free" to wear bikini's? It's just ridiculous. You want to shit on the US Constitution because some Western tribes in Libya, few of whom are interested in US style "Freedom" and many of whom would like a Religious State,are warring with tribes from the East? That's worth it to you? A fair trade? You'd trade in your Freedom for some shit on a stick? That to me is utterly asinine and a very very big sign of the end of the US Republic. At least as I knew it. Libya is being invaded because they have the sweetest crude oil reserves known on planet earth and a lot of wealthy Europeans and Americans want to control that oil. Pull your f_ing heads out of your ass. Jesus, NK starved 3 million people to death. Sold nuke specs to Pakistan. Tested a nuke. Sunk a warship and killed innocent SK civilians. We did NOTHING. Because we don't give two flying shits about protecting anything other than what our corporate leaders invest in - and then ONLY for THEM. You're going to get poorer, fatter and dumber America. Go watch Douching with the Stars and enjoy your take out. Freedom doesn't go out with a bang, but with a whimper. While that sounds cliche' who would have thought there'd come a day in the US when we'd have something as evil as the "Patriot Act". When Americans would role over and take that shit. I just can't hardly believe it. Well Americans you deserve everything coming to you. Lets watch these next few years.
When they open the door. When they're all dead. When my friends and I get bored. When our money supply runs out. If someone *gasp* tries to throw me out of office! It seems to be working, for the moment.
Shit on a stick: an idea whose time has come. Those Al Qaeda types in Libya are good people. Up is down, down is left, and sideways is topsy-turvy. And blue. The sooner you recognize this fact, the sooner we can get to working on this new world of possibilities. That's a good idea. I get stage fright with all those people watching me dancing on Libya. Get Spidergoat to entertain you. You all need to be schooled.
Taking him to court is a non starter, impeachment is a function of the Congress, and they need 2/3rds of the Senate to vote yea to convict. Not going to happen based on our limited involvement in Libya. The administrations opinion on the matter is not without merit: http://volokh.com/2011/06/15/a-war-over-war-powers/ Arthur
Wow, nice bunch of far left propaganda you have ingested there. I love how you conflate fast food, foreign policy, and TV shows in one big Michael Moore style rant. I'm surprised you didn't manage to throw Kim Kardashian or Jackass in there too. In Afghanistan, our goal was to defeat the Taliban who harbored dangerous enemies. Freedom and liberal reforms are entirely secondary concerns. Afghanistan also doesn't have any oil, so your argument fails there. North Korea could obliterate South Korea with conventional weapons in an afternoon, so invading them is an extremely risky proposition that could kill millions.
I've never understood the argument that because we didn't get rid of such and such dictator we can't be involved in getting rid of any dictator, or because this other country is worse than the one we are doing something about, that we must apparently deal with them only in order of severity.
I think it's just a smokescreen, if we took care of their favored hated dictator militarily, we would end up killing innocent people and enriching the military industrial complex, and they would object to it too.
I think we should have a talk Lady Bug . The ones that participate make the decisions . The ones that don't don't . It is our government . Now I know it is very hard to fight city hall , but if we don't, nothing will be changed by us. The ones that participate will all have it there way . That sickens my stomach cause I can see what the impersonal people are up to. The they can do this but don't touch my eggo people . It is human nature to be like that . Humans have not evolve to our state of mind yet and they won't unless we participate
It is all a product of political correctness. The way our government and that means us too, think is the right thing to do . Life ain't like that . Sometimes you got to be a bad guy in life . That means Americans collectively. So then you apply the political correctness to the "got to be a bad guy" and get the job done and conflict arises . Anyway it would be better if we did not have to be the police of the world and dictate our will on the rest of the people of the world( What we consider political correctness)+( indirectly, Taboos by osmosis) We learn to shoot from the hip in the dangerous wold of building . If things go hay wire it becomes necessary at times to change course . Governments by comity are not good at that . Micro managing is what it boils down to. Now you can blame me for being part of the problem for I did it . I own it . I did lots of Micro Managing in my business . I think it is the nature of being American except a select few that have broke the mold . I know realizing this has changed Me . For the better I believe
