numenian wrote:
Because it is fear-based.
It may seem that way, but look at it this way. Similar legislation was enacted when we fought the Japanese and Germans in World War II. This is just the natural progression of a resolve to defeat the enemy. It would have come up sooner or later.
But with the bill going through Congress, which I believe is a good step forward, for the Act will expire once the international terrorist groups are eliminated. Also it serves the purpose of stopping before it starts a Vietnam style tactic, of fighting up to a line, then pulling back. This solves that problem. Allowing Nato to check the United States and allows the United States in checking Nato.
When the threat of War is removed in today's world, then I agree with the expiration of the Act as well as disbanding the military. But as long as we have the enemy and we are at War, we must authorize the President, or Commander-In-Chief to do what is necessary to win that war.
The last effective, and great Commander-In-Chief we had in the White House was Harry Truman. For Eisenhower, though a good general, and great highway maker, failed to command in certain aspects of the Cold War. Which was Carried to John Kennedy. He failed in the Bay of Pigs invasion, but he came back, in threatening Russia and Cuba. Then there was Johnson, who escalated, and escalated the worst war America ever fought.
Then there was Nixon, Ford, and Carter, that tried to solve these problems with diplomacy and succeeded until the Terrorist threat came about. Then there was Reagan, who lived the rule, the "Enemy of my, Enemy is my friend", in the Iran contra affair, born was the infancy of Al Qaeda. This I blame on bad intelligence. However, we then make the leader of the intelligence community president, his name was Bush, sr.
Then he too made crucial mistakes, which allowed these terrorist groups to become powerful, which brings us to the diplomacy of the Clinton administration, which may be inadvertently caused the building of a powerful and rich group of Al Qaeda, that 3000+ Americans would pay for with their lives in the next administration on 9/11/01. Then Bush had not only the red tape of Congress to cut through but now Nato, and The United Nations. He succeeded partly, but because of the grip of Control on his administration he was unable to carry through with the operation to the fullest. Bush succeeded in completing the mission to about 70%. This brings us to the current president.
So we shifted the command from War to diplomacy, back to War, back to diplomacy. Now learning from the past, I would rather fight the terrorists, which are using the weapons we made, and the tactics we came up with; I would rather fight them all in, then half ass. In order to do this, a bill similar must pass through congress. Unfortunately, for if the president has full control over the military, on a map with no lines, then we can fight and defeat ISIS and terrorism.
Remember, when Bush told the American people about the War on Terror, for we didn't want it to end up like the war on Drugs? Do you remember that argument? Well, Obama's actions turned the war on terror into the war on drugs. That really did not work out for us too well. This explains the Fast and Furious failure. As a result of these misdirected, and unwise decisions from leadership, Congress both Democrats and Republicans tried to make the voice of Peace speak louder than the voice of War. With the failure of Vietnam still within the hearts and minds of the people, we sought Peace over War. We succeeded to a point. However now Diplomacy has failed.
When diplomacy fails, then the only solution is War. In order to win the war, we must rally around the Commander-in-Chief, in order to get the job done as quick as possible, and with as few casualties as possible. This brings us to another problem.
In order to be effective we must allow the leader to lead. Even though my faith in Obama is not there. It is prudent to make him do his job. No matter how dirty, no matter how disgusting it may be the job must be done, and Obama has been elected to the post on this watch. So right or wrong it is prudent to rally behind him(I hate to do so, but it must be done).
Now just like we, in our history has seen what a pacifist like Obama has done through their failure, bringing to mind two previous presidents, Carter and Johnson. We must either force him to lead, or get him out of the post and put someone into the post who can do the job. This is why the Presidency is not for just anyone, but one with the fortitude to be America's son.
During the past six years as president, Obama has been put through a great fire, and has won his way. Now, that the situation he inherited by not only his predecessor Bush, jr, but Clinton, Bush sr, Regan and Carter, are coming back to haunt him.
So now before the entire world, Obama must take off the hat of a politician and Democrat, and put on the helmet of Commander-in-Chief. He will not be able nor is he culpable to talk America out of this one. Diplomacy will not work. For this reason, it is time for Congress, to allow the president to do his job. Yes, it is scary and Yes it will prove his character, but you must ask this question: "If Obama is not up to the challenge, that tries men's souls, then why did we elect him?"
If the faith in the Commander-In-Chief has been destroyed then we must remove him from office, and grant the next Commander-In-Chief these powers. That's all there is to it. For if there is more red tape to go through, we will never be able to defeat this evil. Therefore, This is the cold hard truth that has been building since 1945. We must end it and end it soon or it will consume us.
I hate writing like this, but the images that I posted on my other topic haunt me, because the presidents I have listed could have stopped it but didn't. And now Obama must do something or else we will all pay for it. Either way, the old saying he must sh@t or get off the pot, is what is going on here. And in order for him to sh@t he has to have the power of the push.
That might raise his morale, and get him into action. Who knows we are American and we show greatness, while our souls are being tried in the fire of circumstance. So I guess we must just sit back and wait for now. This is why I support the action of Wolf.