The Constitution of the United States gives Congress, not the President, the power "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water..." The fear of the Founders was that if the President has the sole power to declare war or deploy troops that there is a very real danger in the country becoming a military dictatorship. This fear of course was grounded in the well-known example of Rome going from a republic to an empire through the abuse of military power. Is that a legitimate concern today? Are these various military interventions, without the consent of Congress as was the case with the Libya bombings, a danger to the checks and balances put in place by the Founders?
Posted on: Tue, 27 Aug 2013 23:47:15 +0000
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