War Powers and the UN

[Biggsk@aol.com]

Keets writes:

<< 
 Not necessarily, but we are trying to achieve world peace these days (at 
> least according to the UN).
 
The UN can't find its own ass with both hands and a road map!  For an 
organization that was formed to end wars, they have done a piss-poor job!  
The Security Council gave us their blessing - and China only grunted.  (HINT: 
China is NOT our friend!)

> It's true that $$ and the War Powers Act (to move the wheels) are standard 
in cases of war.  The question is whether a formal war is required in this  
instance.  It seems >retro in light of post WWII policies.  Is this going to 
be a reversal? >>

Keets - the War Powers act has only been around since the 1970's.  The real 
Constitutional power for declaring war lies with Congress alone.  The 
President can ask for such a declararion but Congress decides ultimately.  WP 
was introduced to give the President, as military commander in chief, the 
power to start war's wheels into motion while going to Congress to seek 
support, should a situtation arise.  WP also has a time limit - 60 days I 
believe?

Even in these times it takes a long time to get a war machine up, moved and 
functional.  We all saw how long it took a modern power, Great Britain, to 
move from the home islands to the Falklands.  It was like the days of yore - 
war was declared and six months later the fleet showed up!

That is not, by any means, a knock against Britain.  It takes time to cover 
huge distances with large amounts of materiel - as we sawin Desert Storm.  
Saddam made a HUGE military error by not going on tinto Sauid Arabia before 
even our airborne troops got deployed.  Even with them, they are light 
infantry without the capability of stopping heavy armored units.  Thank God 
he made that error.

Greg Biggs/CVC