Keywords

Make Love, Not War — Sex, consent, and the War Powers Act. By William Saletan

Old Blog Import

Didn’t the president promise to exhaust diplomatic options? Didn’t he promise not to go to war unilaterally unless multilateral action wasn’t”possible under any circumstances”?

No, he didn’t. The resolution authorizes Bush "to use the Armed Forces of the United States as he determines to be necessary and appropriate in order to (1) defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and (2) enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions regarding Iraq." It includes a long list of such resolutions. It stipulates that before or shortly after attacking Iraq, Bush must send Congress his "determination" that (1) peaceful alternatives "will not adequately protect [U.S.] national security" and (2) his use of force is "consistent" with the war on terror. But these determinations, including the definitions of "adequately" and "consistent," are solely up to him.”

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