General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSecret War Powers Memo? WTF?
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/donald-trump/sen-tim-kaine-demands-release-secret-trump-war-powers-memo-n846176WASHINGTON Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine is demanding the release of a secret memo outlining President Trumps interpretation of his legal authority to wage war.
Kaine, a member of the Armed Services and Foreign Relations Committees, sent a letter Thursday night to Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seeking a 7-page memo the administration has kept under wraps for months.
Kaine has been leading the charge for Trump to outline his legal rationale for a U.S. bombing campaign in Syria last April in response President Bashar al-Assads chemical attacks on civilians in that country. The Virginia Senator and others worry that such action compromises congressional oversight over military action.
There is a new urgency to obtain the memo given increasing U.S. involvement in Syria and recent Trump administration rhetoric on North Korea. Shortly after the 2017 bombing raid, several members of Congress called on Trump to justify it under U.S. and international law. Article I of the U.S. Constitution gives Congress the power to declare war.
The fact that there is a lengthy memo with a more detailed legal justification that has not been shared with Congress, or the American public, is unacceptable, Kaine said in the letter to Tillerson, obtained by NBC News.
(end snip)
Roland99
(53,342 posts)lark
(23,147 posts)Itt outlines how he can do anything he wants with "his" military and try and stop him, he'll get the button pushed first. Bet it also talks about when he can suspend the constitution - like with any threats to himself from Mueller.
Cyrano
(15,051 posts)Since then, we've had a"police action" (Korea), "a resolution" (Vietnam), invasions to steal oil, and a variety of other long-term actions by our military.
With Trump as pResident, I fear we will come to regret ignoring the part of the constitution that states that only congress can declare war.
SWBTATTReg
(22,156 posts)needs to be provided so Congress, who actually has the constitutional powers to declare war, can review. Also, if need be, the Supreme Court.
Why hide this? It could be so poorly written and constructed as such, that tRUMP may have seriously misinterpreted the constitution and other congressional acts, such as the War Powers Act, and get the American people into something that we all don't want!