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The Constitution of the United States of America clearly and deliberately gives the power to declare war to Congress and not to the executive. The modern age and a parade of presidents has eroded the distinction between military action and war. Since the Second World War Congress has acquiesced to the White House more and more latitude in conducting offensive military action but still recognizing their role in the process with legislation such as an Authorization for Use of Military Force.

Trump launched his sudden and extensive bombing campaign against Iran without any form of Congressional approval. This is not one fast mission with a clearly defined goal, this is a prolonged campaign with ill-defined, if defined at all, objectives. Destroying that nation’s nuclear ambitions, that had been ‘obliterated’ nine months prior, preventing a retaliatory strike following an attack by one of our allies, collapsing Iran’s government, have all been both expressed and denied as goals of the bombing war. It is clearly the purview of Congress to debate and either approve or forbid this action. Yet legislation to do precisely that has been killed by the Republican leadership of both houses.  Politicians who have repeatedly and loudly accused nearly every executive action by Democratic presidents of being a step towards serfdom and an illegal usurpation of the Constitution cower from the cult that surrounds this president, breaking their oaths of office and proving to anyone with unbiased eyes that they are from a political party unfit for power.