I just remembered something today.

[John Gauger]

Today in Gov my prof was going over the War Powers Act. It says that Congress can, by concurrent resolution (that is, a law that does not require the signature of the President,) can immediately remove troops from any hostile situation in the absence of a state of war. If Congress wanted to, they could end the war today (if they were in session.) They can end the war any time that they want. They do not need to consult the commander in chief. They have supremacy over him, because we are not at war. The Constitution does not say that, so the law is technically unconstitutioal, but the SC has always refused to hear cases involving this law; they say it is a purely political and not a constitutional matter. Bush is not an obstacle to withdrawal at all. If they cared about human life at all (which they don't) they would end this war immediately. But they don't. The majority of members of Congress simply do not care whether the citizens of this country, specifically our troops, live or die. If every one of us dropped dead right now, the wouldn't shed a tear, so long as it didn't cost them any votes. But then again we already knew that. If they cared about the lives of our troops, they would never have given the moron in the White House life or death authority over them. Any idiot can tell that he is too stupid to be trusted. However, I am afraid that most Congress Critters are afflicted with the same unusual brand of stupid.

[Jackpine Radical]

1. So, if (when) we get that Dem majority, how much ya wanna bet

they pass that concurrent resolution?

Don't hold your breath.

[John Gauger]

2. Oh wow.

I had never even considered that. I had just assumed that it would be all over. What if they don't end it?

What if this war really doesn't end? I was operating under the assumption that it was almost over. I don't know how much more of this I can take. I don't think I can even wrap my head around that. How could this country be so stupid as to continue in this war? I mean, we're pretty stupid (we're there now) but we can't possibly be that stupid, can we? No, it's not the nation itself. This nation hates the war. I know that our democracy isn't really a democracy, but how could a new Congress not end the war? What possible reason could the morons have to continue it?

[Jackpine Radical]

5. Well, I suppose the morons will be afraid of accusations that

they "cut 'n' ran or some such. Besides, not all the dems are against the war. They may not be able to gat a majority.

[izzie]

3. I am sure I am in error but this is what I read.

Congress gave Bush power to make war on the War on Terror. And there was no end date on that. I am sure Congress can stop the money today if they wish and I believe it was how they stopped Vietnam. They cut the funds. I hope I am wrong on the power to make war on terror as long as he wishes.

[John Gauger]

4. Any authorization of force can be undone.

In the case of war, a peace treaty or an armistice can strip the President of authority to fight. There was however no declaration of war; this is an authorization of force, which under the War Powers Act of 1976 can be undone by a simple concurrent resolution. They can end it whenever they want. Vietnam was before that law existed. It was the reason that they enacted it; to make sure that it never happened again (whoops.)

[izzie]

6. Thank you. I never can get these things right in my mind.

I think I get stuck in the thing that Congress can only take us to war and all this other things is just messing with my mind. I still have not figured out all these little 'wars' beside Iraq Korea(police action) and Vietnam. we have and seem to really get into like taking over other countries. I did grew up in a home that was really anti-war as we were taught it was wasteful to people and things. I do not think I ever lost that even having been married to a career military man. I was this in the middle of the Vietnam war so why would I have changed my early learning? I was a child during WW2 but do recall a lot of it from my safe side of the water Am. I also think that is one of the reasons we do not understand Eu. We sat on the safe side and when you put our deaths to wards their it is very small. People seem to for get that. EU has also 'done' the Middle East and they did not do any better than we did but hell we never learn. They had learned about So. Asia before we made that error also.