Since the beginning of the Republic, it has been the prerogative of the President, as commander in chief, to use military force on his own discretion, as Jefferson did with the Barbary pirates, for example. In fact, there has never been a clear delineation of where such discretion ends. However, most presidents seek some kind of Congressional approval if the operation will take a long time or use up a lot of resources, as Bush himself did. Remember, he sought and received authorization. The declaration of war is rarely used, in order to preserve flexibility in the executive.
We do not have actual control over Israel, nor do we command them in their tactical operations in the Territories. That is just errant nonsense. We have the choice of helping Israel survive against implacable foes, or allowing a new Holocaust to occur. It is that stark.
The term "illegal combatants" is very straightforward, actually. It refers to those whose situation is not regulated under international law, specifically, the Geneva Convention.
The rest is too silly to take up......... |
