"Military force" is not a war declaration

Portsmouth city councilor Josh Denton is correct to call Congress "feckless." There are lots of other words that would describe them accurately. He is wrong when he says that "abdicated their constitutional duty to pass a new Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF)..."

But not for the reason he may think.

The AUMF is absolutely not a declaration of war. Go read the last US war declaration. It happened in 1941. The AUMF is actually a formal statement of the congressional abdication that Denton (rightly) denounces. It "allows" Congress to ignore the militarism of the Executive. It was passed under Bush, and used without hesitation by Obama. Two peas in a pod.

Denton, however, is correct when he cites the Obama Administration's recent justification for more war based on the 15 year old authorization. He also is correct to oppose a Declaration of War yet still demand a congressional vote on it. I believe there was one person who tried this way back when.

Things for Denton to consider:

1. Maybe the US government shouldn't have a standing army.

2. Maybe the US government should close its 800 global military bases.

3. Maybe the Federal Reserve, which finances all wars since WWI, should be abolished.

4. Maybe those who fight it unconstitutional wars should throw down their arms.