President who vowed to end war, now seeks sweeping power to expand it

[jimnyc]

Secretary of State John F. Kerry told Congress Tuesday that President Obama wants expansive war powers to pursue the Islamic State terrorists wherever and however he deems necessary, stunning lawmakers by requesting a war authorization that would even allow the Pentagon to commit American combat troops to the fight.

Though Mr. Obama doesn’t want combat troops, he won’t have Congress tie his hands against unforeseen directions the war could take should the Islamic State evolve, expand its fight to other countries or prove more difficult to rout, Mr. Kerry said.

“I don’t think anybody wants to get into a long-term ground operation here. But we also don’t want to hamstring the generals and the commanders in the field and the president, who’s commander in chief, from their ability to be able to make some decision they need to make,” Mr. Kerry told the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. Kerry was deployed to try to quell a growing furor over the administration’s approach, but his appearance didn’t appear to help, with lawmakers of both parties saying the White House appears to be trying to delay Congress from acting while doing little to step up on its own.

“The reason we’re here is a total failure of the president to lead on this issue,” said Sen. Bob Corker, the ranking Republican on the committee.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/9/obama-asks-expansive-war-against-islamic-state/

[revelarts]

I'm surprised he's even 'asking'.
the presidents have lost their minds.
but Obama a constitutional scholar so it's all good right?

[jimnyc]

I'm surprised he's even 'asking'.
the presidents have lost their minds.

You know my stance on war and such, Rev. I'm a chicken hawk! And even I'll admit that this is FAR overreaching. Any battle worthy getting into is one that congress and others will jump on board with. I don't like end arounds. And if they are a MUST, it had better be for an extreme emergency and be for a very limited time. I understand that there are issues where you can't wait months/weeks for congressional approval. Like the Osama killing, for example. I don't have an issue with an order to perform issues like that. But the power to do whatever HE feels is best, in ANY capacity in dealing with them? No way.

[aboutime]

Screw it! Let's just do nothing. Let Obama, and the Cut & Run liberals ignore ISIS, and Putin, and every other known enemy of America.

Nobody has the balls to do anything that might offend, upset, or anger STUPID, NON-CARING, IGNORANT Americans who depend on government to do all of their thinking, and living.

Let's help Obama and company get rid of our military. Put all American citizens on Welfare, Food Stamps, and Unemployment.
That seems to be what ALL AMERICA HATING LIBERAL, DEMOCRAT, OBAMA VOTERS WANT.

Let's let them have it.

[Jeff]

Hmmm maybe we shouldn't of pulled the troops from that area ( or at least thinned them out ) everyone knew this would happen, it was understood by all this would be a long drawn out process, but if we would of let the military do there thing our troops would of been as safe as possible, now he wants permission to do as he pleases, like sending in not enough troops and getting more killed. Once again the liberal way of thought back fired.

[Kathianne]

If I'm not mistaken, Obama is asking for his personal judgement to be used, skipping the difficulties of DOD and Congress. Hell no!

[aboutime]

If I'm not mistaken, Obama is asking for his personal judgement to be used, skipping the difficulties of DOD and Congress. Hell no!


Kathianne. What most of us have been recognizing for six years is. Obama has NO personal judgement when it comes to following his Oath of office, and his Most Important task as CIC, which is protecting the ENTIRE Nation. Not just those who like, follow, and vote for him because they are afraid to disagree with him.
Which...is why he has been destroying the DOD, and cutting down the experienced, highly trained Military members who DARE to disagree with him. And he refuses to LISTEN to experts, unless they ALWAYS agree with him

[fj1200]

I'm surprised he's even 'asking'.
the presidents have lost their minds.
but Obama a constitutional scholar so it's all good right?

He knows it's more than 60 days.


If I'm not mistaken, Obama is asking for his personal judgement to be used, skipping the difficulties of DOD and Congress. Hell no!

How is this authorization different than previous like ones?

[Anton Chigurh]

He's a Nobel Peace Laureate. Stop picking on him!

[red states rule]

Secretary of State John F. Kerry told Congress Tuesday that President Obama wants expansive war powers to pursue the Islamic State terrorists wherever and however he deems necessary, stunning lawmakers by requesting a war authorization that would even allow the Pentagon to commit American combat troops to the fight.

Though Mr. Obama doesn’t want combat troops, he won’t have Congress tie his hands against unforeseen directions the war could take should the Islamic State evolve, expand its fight to other countries or prove more difficult to rout, Mr. Kerry said.

“I don’t think anybody wants to get into a long-term ground operation here. But we also don’t want to hamstring the generals and the commanders in the field and the president, who’s commander in chief, from their ability to be able to make some decision they need to make,” Mr. Kerry told the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.

Mr. Kerry was deployed to try to quell a growing furor over the administration’s approach, but his appearance didn’t appear to help, with lawmakers of both parties saying the White House appears to be trying to delay Congress from acting while doing little to step up on its own.

“The reason we’re here is a total failure of the president to lead on this issue,” said Sen. Bob Corker, the ranking Republican on the committee.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/dec/9/obama-asks-expansive-war-against-islamic-state/

It is times like these I do miss Bully Pulpit, TruthMatters, and other libs who never ceased going after Pres Bush for EO's, and sending troops into combat

I wonder how they are feeling about Obama and all that hope and change

Oh well they are probably still blaming Bush for everything

[red states rule]

Hmmm maybe we shouldn't of pulled the troops from that area ( or at least thinned them out ) everyone knew this would happen, it was understood by all this would be a long drawn out process, but if we would of let the military do there thing our troops would of been as safe as possible, now he wants permission to do as he pleases, like sending in not enough troops and getting more killed. Once again the liberal way of thought back fired.

Ya think Jeff?

It is like leaving the doors to the bank open overnight

Pulling out all the security cameras

Leaving the vault open

Then being shocked the bank was robbed

[Jeff]

Ya think Jeff?

It is like leaving the doors to the bank open overnight

Pulling out all the security cameras

Leaving the vault open

Then being shocked the bank was robbed

Now ta got it, and to think we had liberals on these very pages so excited that the black lord was bringing the soldiers home only to now send them back, Hmmm how else can we waste money ?

[Kathianne]

...



How is this authorization different than previous like ones?

The executive going in on 'their own,' has been for specific reasons, usually announced after the fact, then need Congressional action to keep funding.

The only exception to that I recall was after 9/11, when Bush asked for and received permission to act when necessary. While he had full approval at the start, eventually most of the support slowly fizzled as too many acts caused problems. Problems that likely could have been avoided with oversight.

[red state]

Jim, your thread, "President who vowed to end war, now seeks sweeping power to expand it" can simply be addressed by reminding everyone that B.O. has consistently lied since he was first "anointed". Should we expect any differently from this LIAR?!

[fj1200]

The executive going in on 'their own,' has been for specific reasons, usually announced after the fact, then need Congressional action to keep funding.

The only exception to that I recall was after 9/11, when Bush asked for and received permission to act when necessary. While he had full approval at the start, eventually most of the support slowly fizzled as too many acts caused problems. Problems that likely could have been avoided with oversight.

To your first point hence the War Powers Act. To your second AFAIK the legislative has always ceded to the CiC regarding specifics. Congress still has an oversight role and Bush was checked every time we had a new spending authorization. Now of course BO sucks and will likely screw it up but any other POTUS probably would receive approval.

[fj1200]

Jim, your thread, "President who vowed to end war, now seeks sweeping power to expand it" can simply be addressed by reminding everyone that B.O. has consistently lied since he was first "anointed". Should we expect any differently from this LIAR?!

And Bush ran against nation building. Things change. Would you rather that he ignore the threat so he can keep his word?

[Kathianne]

To your first point hence the War Powers Act. To your second AFAIK the legislative has always ceded to the CiC regarding specifics. Congress still has an oversight role and Bush was checked every time we had a new spending authorization. Now of course BO sucks and will likely screw it up but any other POTUS probably would receive approval.

How long did it take for many to see the problems with the War Powers Act? Now who's arguing to further expand these extraordinary powers?

http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2014/11/3-ways-obama-expanded-war-powers-well-beyond-george-w-bush/98477/

[DLT]

I'm surprised he's even 'asking'.
the presidents have lost their minds.
but Obama a constitutional scholar so it's all good right?


but Obama a anti-constitutional scholar so it's all good right?

There. Fixed it.

[DLT]

If I'm not mistaken, Obama is asking for his personal judgement to be used, skipping the difficulties of DOD and Congress. Hell no!

He's a one-man (sorta/kinda) government. Who needs the rule of law and constitutionally-guaranteed rights?

My only question is....other than the overwhelming sweep of voter sentiments in last Nov's election....

where the hell is the public outrage???

[fj1200]

How long did it take for many to see the problems with the War Powers Act? Now who's arguing to further expand these extraordinary powers?

http://www.defenseone.com/ideas/2014/11/3-ways-obama-expanded-war-powers-well-beyond-george-w-bush/98477/

Meh. As long as Congress doesn't care about its own function and as long as every executive expands their role it's going to expand.


He's a one-man (sorta/kinda) government. Who needs the rule of law and constitutionally-guaranteed rights?

My only question is....other than the overwhelming sweep of voter sentiments in last Nov's election....

where the hell is the public outrage???

Outrage against what? BO asking to hit ISIS? Nobody likes ISIS.

[aboutime]

There's a very old statement I first heard my grandfather, and later, my father repeat; almost every time they were together working, as I tagged along in my grandfather's coal truck, or home heating oil truck back in the 50's, and 60's.
And that old statement seems to apply, even more today as most of us become aware of how Nearly Totally Uninformed, and Uneducated so many Americans really are today.

That statement was, and still applies today as "YOU CAN'T FIGHT CITY HALL".
I firmly believe. A large percentage of our population of more than 310 Million people today. AGREE with that statement because. That's as far as they seem to be concerned about our nation. In other words.
They really don't have the time, nor do they care what politicians are doing because. Americans in general. Are too busy trying to live, and survive between PAYCHECKS....if they still get one.

That's why there is so little PUBLIC OUTRAGE.

[red states rule]

Anything Obama says is really............


http://media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com/236x/5e/c4/16/5ec416941ea2a3a008c02c7bf031b2ad.jpg

[revelarts]

Meh. As long as Congress doesn't care about its own function and as long as every executive expands their role it's going to expand.




Outrage against what? BO asking to hit ISIS? Nobody likes ISIS.

YES THIS ^ is the problem.

it's why i'm debating people about torture who I'm sure would have SWORN 25 yrs ago that America is good and "we don't torture" that's what dictators an Communist countries do. We don't spy on our citizens that's what ...

but now the Law doesn't matter, the Constitution doesn't matter
even pragmatism with the BEST solutions doesn't matter.

Whatever FEELS like is going to get the job done is OK in the minds of the public on the left and right.
Idealist laws, constitutions a suicide pack "don't tie the presidents hands" polls show the people are FOR IT ther fore the laws doesn't matter.

rules be danged... until it's a rule our side likes then, well it must be obeyed and it's outrageous for those who do break it to to "get away with it."

'Rule of Law' 21st century America style.