Panel urges new law on government war powers

Susan Cornwell
Reuters
Tuesday, July 8, 2008

The president should be forced by law to consult Congress before going to war, a bipartisan panel including several prominent former U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

The commission led by former Secretaries of State James Baker, a Republican, and Warren Christopher, a Democrat, aimed to clarify the cloudy division between the White House and the U.S. Congress over the power to conduct war. 

The panel proposed a new law — the “War Powers Consultation Act” — that would require the president to consult with Congress before deploying U.S. troops into “significant armed conflict,” defined as combat operations lasting, or expected to last, more than a week.

(Article continues below)

 

Disputes over the unpopular Iraq war have revived constitutional arguments about the limits of congressional and presidential war powers. Under the Constitution, Congress declares war and controls funding, but the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces.

President George W. Bush got congressional authorization in 2002 for the Iraq war. It was unclear whether the law proposed on Tuesday would have changed that outcome.

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9 Responses to “Panel urges new law on government war powers”

1. gw Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 3:49 pm

   http://video.google.com/videop.....3139148549

2. tt Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 4:30 pm

   The commission led by two former Secretaries of State to recommend revision of the War Powers Act to say what? What will the small print say? Isn’t that like the foxes (or the hawks) guarding the chicken coop? What if the War Powers Act revision isn’t improved? How about a national poll to decide going to war or staying in a war, since we’re paying for it?

3. peterk Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 5:02 pm

   I’m dutch, so help me out here. Is this not already stated in your constitution?
   And of all people : James Baker? A statist!

   And what if this proposal fails to become a new “law”? What is to conclude from that? Will they not conclude that the constitution does not intend to state that congress is the one with the authority to declare war. And will that not be the intention of the whole charade?

4. JF Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 6:06 pm

   Duh!! Follow the Constitution, what a novel idea!! Congress has the power to declare war but have been rolling over like dummies for years while Bush has done exactly what he darn well pleases and will continue to do so until he is reined in by a real not lame ducks, Congress. What I would like to see on every real Patriot’s bumper is “Congress, You’re Fired” if it is available on bumper sticker format.

5. chris diminie Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 9:08 pm

   The U.S. Constitution says already that ONLY Congress can declare war. Doesn’t it?
   I think this is another “Free Speech Zone” Deal.

   It’s good that it’s being addressed at all, but haven’t they heard of the Constitution?

6. Kwejebo Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 9:52 pm

   This is just another government way of making it seem like they are doing something when in fact they are just stalling for time hoping that people will forget they are angry and find something else to occuypy their minds. Yes only congress can declare war,yes they could use this if they wanted to,that they are trying to pass a “new” law is just a stalling tactic, plain and simple.

7. SC Says:
   July 8th, 2008 at 10:45 pm

   Im convinced,most of congress must be in on NWO,paid off or blackmailed,this is insane.

8. Chris Says:
   July 9th, 2008 at 12:05 am

   Folks, by law the President has to ask Congress before going to war. READ THE CONSITUTION!

9. Aqua Teen Hunger Force Says:
   July 9th, 2008 at 4:04 am

   Well, how about that, they trying to pass yet another “law” to further water down what THE CONSTITUTION ALREADY SAYS!