Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Look Who's Unconstitutional Now!

I support the Libya intervention for the same reason I have always supported the Iraq war--genocidal/terrorist dictators need to be stopped by any means necessary. But I have to say Obama's failure to seek any sort of Congressional sanction--while making sure to get the UN to sign off!--is really very disturbing. Who is running the U.S. military, Congress or the Security Council? Interestingly, the record now shows three Democratic presidents going to war without Congressional approval--Truman's "police action" in Korea, which tore a giant hole in the U.S. Constitution's explicit placement of the warmaking power in Congress's hands (although U.S. involvement in the Korean War was both necessary and just), LBJ in Vietnam, and now Obama in Libya. On the other hand, both Bushes sought some sort of Congressional approval for their respective wars in Iraq. So on this point, the GOP really does have a better record of respecting the Constitution!

Which does not, of course, excuse the total lack of planning in both Iraq and Libya (and the current case could end up even worse than the mess Rumsfeld & Co. made after April '03!)

No comments:

Post a Comment