Guest Editorial: War Leg
Note, this editorial viewpoint is that of the writer, and not necessarily that of the Prospect, our staff, or our advertisers, though it might be.
Oppose a new legislation: No president of the United States should have the unilateral and unchecked authority to initiate military action and exercise other war powers.
By Beenie
May 18, 2011
Last week, the House Armed Services Committee tucked a dangerous provision into the huge Defense authorization bill. With it, Congress took one more step towards passing a law for endless worldwide war. It was added to the bill by Rep. Buck McKeon (R-Calif.).
It could become the single biggest ceding of unchecked war authority to the executive branch in modern American history.
Outrageously, there have been no hearings on the worldwide war legislation, nor has its necessity been explained by Rep. Buck McKeon or anyone else in Congress.
· The proposed "Authorized Use of Military Force" has no geographic boundaries, which means the president could take the United States to war in anywhere in the world and could set the U.S. on a course for decades of war.
· The proposal has no limitation on the president using the new war powers, even within our own country or against U.S. citizens.
· This new legislation could commit the United States to a worldwide war without clear enemies, without any geographical boundaries, and without any boundary relating to time or specific objective to be achieved.
· Unlike the legislation that authorized the Afghanistan War and the pursuit of Osama bin Laden, the proposed new and expanded authorization to go to war does not require a specific threat of harm to the United States.
No president should have the unilateral and unchecked authority to initiate military action and exercise other war powers. This can have enormous implications and be the quintessential "slippery slope."
The government must stay true to the constitution and our nation's values.
The full House of Representatives will vote on the issue next week and it's important that our Representative McClintock vote "no" on a new authorization for the use of military force.
Please flood his office with phone calls, faxes, emails. Phone calls are best and most effective.
Rep. Tom McClintock district office info:
8700 Auburn-Folsom Road, Suite 100
Granite Bay, CA95746
Phone: (916) 786-5560
Fax: (916) 786-6364
His email is posted on his web site at www. mcclintock.house.gov/contact
