[stupidme]

Why has the United States Congress not made a formal declaration of war? I fear this is what happens when you have a dictatorship and an apathetic population.

[Fidelista]

Because this is not a war .....its a ? well its a liberation, kind of a friendly thing. >f

[stupidme]

US military personel and "enemy combatatants" and civilians being killed on foreign soil.. so this is a police action or maybe nation building.. (violent ).
Better explanation please

[WarC]

Looks like you explained it yourself.

[GoneForNow]

Originally Posted by WarC

Looks like you explained it yourself.

Notice how some people ask a question (first by framing the question to suit their soon to come answer) and then answer it. Is there a point to that exercise?

[Ciberblade]

You might want to check up on:
H.J.RES.114 -- Public Law 107-243 from the 107th Congress

[Shamou]

Originally Posted by Ciberblade

You might want to check up on:
H.J.RES.114 -- Public Law 107-243 from the 107th Congress

Here is the link: http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=...e+Search&meta=

First item...

[Miz]

Mainly because Congress has voluntarily decided to authorize the president to use force instead:

Not declaring war provides a way to circumvent constitutional safeguards against the executive declaring war, and also, in some cases, to avoid feeling bound by the established laws of war. Not using the word "war" is also seen as being more public relations-friendly. For these reasons, they have generally ceased to issue declarations of war, instead describing their actions by euphemisms such as "police action" or "authorized use of force." Source. Yes, the source is Wikipedia but it's as good an explanation as I've run across.

So ultimately the decision lies with Congress, not the President.

[linskyjack]

This is my favorite part of the Resolution---What a bunch of utter nonsense:

Whereas the President has authority under the Constitution to
take action in order to deter and prevent acts of international
terrorism against the United States, as Congress recognized in
the joint resolution on Authorization for Use of Military Force
(Public Law 107–40); and
Whereas it is in the national security interests of the United States
to restore international peace and security to the Persian Gulf
region: Now, therefore, be it

[bosshogg151]

Originally Posted by gbrumb

Notice how some people ask a question (first by framing the question to suit their soon to come answer) and then answer it. Is there a point to that exercise?

Makes them appear to be clever I guess.

[BanditFlyer]

Originally Posted by bosshogg151

Makes them appear to be clever I guess.

Actually, it's a well-known propaganda tactic.

[ekim68]

Originally Posted by BanditFlyer

Actually, it's a well-known propaganda tactic.

And, when the media helps, well...

[LuckyStrike]

Originally Posted by stupidme

Why has the United States Congress not made a formal declaration of war?

I would ask the same question from a totally different point of view and with a different agenda.

I think that a formal declaration would have underscored the point that we really are in a war, and might have put more long term steel in the country's back bone. Also it would have made the entire world say "whoa, they really are serious".

[iltos]

Originally Posted by LuckyStrike

[b]


I would ask the same question from a totally different point of view and with a different agenda.

I think that a formal declaration would have underscored the point that we really are in a war, and might have put more long term steel in the country's back bone. Also it would have made the entire world say "whoa, they really are serious".

this is a good point, methinks....underscoring perhaps that the big boys really did percieve this to be something "simple", that wouldn't take a long time nor cost a bunch of money.....

after all, iraq was suppose to fall all over itself, worshipping their liberation from hussein....many have, as has been well noted

enough have not to make this a nightmare (some argue that those some are imported....fair enough, but either way)....these seem to be the ones that were omitted in planning stages of this "none dare call it war".