Lawmakers expect resistance to granting Obama war powers

[PoliticAverse]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republican and Democratic leaders in Congress will face some resistance to a vote to authorize President Barack Obama's war against Islamic State militants despite international outrage over video of militants beheading their captives and burning one alive.

War authorizations are among the most difficult issues to confront members of Congress. Several Democrats will be reluctant to approve new war powers unless there is a clear deadline or some way to pay for the military operation. Some Republicans, strong foes of the president, will object to giving Obama the authority.

Obama is poised in coming days to ask Congress for new authority to use U.S. military force against IS, the White House said Thursday. But the top House Republican warned it won't be easy to pass the measure. Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said it will be up to the president to rally support from lawmakers and the public.

Read the rest at: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_CONGRESS_NATIONAL_SECURITY?SITE=MYPSP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2015-02-06-10-43-29

[Autumn]

1. I'm not gonna have a problem with this.

[bigtree]

2. on the other hand, there are republicans not willing to restrict his authority to war

...much like Sec. Kerry argued last year for a resolution that didn't tie the administration's hands (ie. gives him broad authority on ground troops and time and geographical location of the U.S. military action).

It's interesting that the administration waited for this republican Congress, knowing full well that Democratic numbers in Congress were likely to be restricted, if not out of the majority. The WH realizes that republican hawks are their best friends for a new AUMF, despite all of the chameleon-like rhetoric from republican leaders questioning the president's ability to 'sell' his plan.

We're going to get a new AUMF which allows the president to use his discretion to use ground forces, I predict. I further predict that he will advantage himself of that authority, given that his generals have been publicly lobbying for them for a year or so now.

Insidious. Endless, self-perpetuating war.