John F. Williford: Authority for Military Action?

This is what we believe as well, and we do wish to warn all elected officials, at the federal level, that they had better not go down this road with Bush and Cheney.

It is that simple. Don't do it!

How often do you need to be reminded that this administration has not told you the real truth about anything from day one?

They do not deserve one last chance in Iraq. Period.

But even if they did, 20,000 more troops will not to anything to stop the violence and may well make it worse.

Take 20,000 and divide it by 4: Yep, that's right, 5,000.

That is the number of actual new security troops we will have in Iraq, helping partol the streets and kicking in doors.

Iraq is approximately the size of California.

NYC has 45,000 police patrolling its streets, daily.

Now, does anyone believe there is even a remote chance that this escalation is anything but political and pathological?

John F. Williford: Authority for Military Action? BuzzFlash:

I've watched in stunned amazement statements by Senator Biden, saying the idea of dumping more of our troops into it isn't likely to stall the meat grinder of Iraq (Obviously, I'm paraphrasing); but, as Mr. Bush is Commander-in-Chief, there isn't anything Congress can do about it. WHAT?

Whether under the specific Authorization for Use of Military Force in Iraq extracted from Congress through lies, or the earlier, vague and broad authority to pursue culprits of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the underlying enabling legislation in both Authorizations is specifically identified as the War Powers Resolution of 1973. This legislation specifically spells out the powers of Congress to monitor on a tight review schedule the application of military force. The tenor and purpose of the legislation is clearly for short-term authorization and extension in short increments in lieu of a formal Declaration of War by the Congress.