Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: A declaration of war requires that you define a target. "Al Qaeda". How's that for a start? Fair enough.  Point to it on a map for me. Do you know the first country that we sent our military to to fight in WWII was? (It wasn't Japan, Italy, Germany or any other nation we declared war on) A declaration of war doesn't include the necessity for attaching a map identifying where your enemy is and isn't.

When was a declaration of war issued by Congress?  I must have missed that.

We are not at war.  We are in the middle of armed conflict, combat, police action, battle, trash disposal, whatever you want to call it.  But we are not at war as defined by the Constitution - that requires a Congressional declaration.

The statement "War on terrorism" is as misleading as "War on drugs", "War on poverty", or any other soundbite.  It is just another example of a marketing phrase used to whip the masses into a froth about something.

I tend to view the Constitution literally, and dont like seeing its stated principles perverted for political purposes.  It states very clearly who has the authority to declare war.

The AUMF is a declaration of war in every manner, with the notable (yet effectively meaningless) distinction that it does not actually use the word "war".

We have made a public announcement of our intent. The lack of the word "war" in that announcement is a purely political decision. It does not change our responsibilities under international law nor does it change the interpretation of domestic laws -- if you follow court decisions, they are currently (in general) interpreting executive authority as if we were at war (which we are).

Smarter political minds than me might be able to comment on why the word "war" was left out, but from a legal framework its effectively meaningless.

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: A declaration of war requires that you define a target. "Al Qaeda". How's that for a start? Fair enough.  Point to it on a map for me. Do you know the first country that we sent our military to to fight in WWII was? (It wasn't Japan, Italy, Germany or any other nation we declared war on) A declaration of war doesn't include the necessity for attaching a map identifying where your enemy is and isn't. When was a declaration of war issued by Congress?  I must have missed that. We are not at war.  We are in the middle of armed conflict, combat, police action, battle, trash disposal, whatever you want to call it.  But we are not at war as defined by the Constitution - that requires a Congressional declaration.

Yeah, I know that.

And you would know that I know that if you reread my opening post.

We're not in a "declared" war - but we are "at war". Historically, there is precedent for going to war without "declaring" war even as far back as 1801. My question is simply WHY haven't we declared war against our current enemy given the fact that A) they declared war on us, B) they are well-funded, organized and protected and C) they've attacked us harder and more devastatingly than any other "declared" enemy has in almost 200 years.

My response was simply in answer to YOUR question and a further comment that being able to point to your enemy on a map is not relevant to declaring war on that enemy.

Quoted: I tend to view the Constitution literally, and dont like seeing its stated principles perverted for political purposes.  It states very clearly who has the authority to declare war.

Umm.................... okay.

It's common knowledge that the USA has allways been ready to rally any and all nations it can muster to the common good of makeing sure no (one) intrest or country can munipulate or control the oil flow to the World!

Even if we opened all the wells we capped off(at one time Tulsa Okla was oil capital of the World)and all the other oil wells in the USA and thier provedinces(we might be able to supply the USA with all the oil it could ever use!!

But the problem would be with the isonationalist veiw,Japan,and many other countrys(Europe,many others) would be getting oil for food,oil for nukes anything for oil!!

So we needed to make sure that the oil gets sent where it needs to be ,Globaly PC!

Somehow we lost the picture of how capitalisiom works!

I would say it is about whom needs the oil most,and just how hard will you go to secure it!

About the Alquida or millitant musslams, they get what they give,+1,000!

Bob

Quoted: My question is simply WHY haven't we declared war against our current enemy given the fact that A) they declared war on us, B) they are well-funded, organized and protected and C) they've attacked us harder and more devastatingly than any other "declared" enemy has in almost 200 years.

i've elucidated the answer to this question quite clearly.  i'm curious to hear your thoughts.

Quoted: Was it because they launched a military attack on us? Clearly it was NOT Germany and Italy who attacked us on 12-7-41, yet we declared war on Germany and Italy five days later anyway simply because they had declared war on us first (in allegience with Japan whom we earlier declared war against). So basically - the last time Congress ever approved a "formal declaration of war" against anyone - it was done NOT because we were attacked by them, it was because THEY declared war on US first. So WHY did we never declare war on Al Qaeda and other large, organized, well-funded militant groups protected by governments (Taliban, etc.) who had ALSO formally and publically "declared war" on the United States of America (through all their formal "jihads" and "fatwas", etc.) , even after 9-11? The popular reason is that "there was no country to declare war against". Well that's bullshit. This stupidity was parroted across the media by pundits and spineless senators immediately following 9-11 and so many idiots fell for it. I can clearly remember that prick himself, Osama Joe Biden, on the Sunday talkshows defiantly saying "NO" that there will be no declaration of war from Congress - "because there was no country to declare war against"..... and then we went and invaded Afghanistan, attacked Al Qaeda bases and overthrew the Taliban government - because there was no "country" to declare war against. IMO, a MAJOR reason we haven't "won" a war since WWII is because we can't even muster the will to DECLARE war anymore. If we can't even summon the courage and clarity to DECLARE war against an enemy who has already declared war on us AND attacked us here at home - then how the hell can we imagine that we can actually DEFEAT this enemy???

October 31, 1941. A German U-Boat 552 commanded by Kapitänleutnant Erich Topp of the Kriegsmarine Sank the USS Reuben James (DD-245) off Iceland






LIST OF PERSONNEL LOST WHEN THE USS REUBEN JAMES
WAS TORPEDOED AND SUNK ON OCTOBER 31, 1941.

Lieutenant Commander Heywood Lane Edwards, U.S. Navy (Commanding)
Lieutenant Benjamin Ghetzler, U.S. Navy.
Lieutenant Dewey George Johnston, U.S. Navy
Lieutenant (junior grade) John Justus Daub, U.S. Navy.
Lieutenant James Mead Belden, D-V (G), U.S. Naval Reserve.
Ensign Craig Spowers, U.S. Navy.
Ensign Howard Voyer Wade, D-V (G), U.S. Naval Reserve.

BAUER, John Francis, Jr., Chief Radioman (AA) Class V-3, U.S. Naval Reserve.
BEASLEY, Harold Hamner, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
BENSON, James Franklin, Machinist's Mate second class, U.S. Navy.
BIEHL, Joseph Peter, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
BOYNTON, Paul Rogers, Yeomman first class, U.S. Navy.
BRITT, Harold Lelie, Coxswain, U.S. Navy.
BURRELL, Herbert Ralph, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
BYRD, Hartwell Lee, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
CARBAUGH, Leftwich Erastus, Jr., Fireman first class, U.S. Navy.
VARUSO, Joseph James, Radioman second class, U.S. Navy.
CLARK, James Brantley, Fire Controlman second class, U.S. Navy.
COOK, Raymond, Mess Attendant first class, U.S. Navy.
COOPERRIDER, Carl Eugene, Gunner's Mate third class, U.S. Navy.
COSGROVE, Lawrence Randall, Gunner's Mate second class, U.S. Navy.
COUSINS, Alton Adelbert, Cheif Machinist's Mate (PA), U.S.N.R., Class F-4-C
COX, Charles Beacon, Chief Torpedoman (AA), U.S. Navy.
DANIEL, Dennis Howard, Yeoman third class, U.S. Navy.
DEVEREAU, Lawrence Delaney, Chief Boatswain's Mate (PA), U.S.N.R., Class F-4-D
DICKERSON, Leonidas Camden, Jr., Storekeeper third class, U.S. Navy.
DOIRON, GIlbert Joseph, Water Tender first class, U.S. Navy.
DRINKWALTER, Karl Lee, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
DUNSTON, Nebraska, Mess Attennndant third class, U.S. Navy.
DYSON, Corbon, Radioman third class, U.S. Navy.
EVANS, Gene Guy, Boilermaker second class, U.S. Navy.
EVANS, Linn Stewart, Fire Controlman third class, U.S. Navy.
EVERETT, Carlyle Chester, Fireman second class, U.S. Navy.
FARLEY, Edwin Louis, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
FITZGERALD, John Joseph, Quartermaster third class, U.S. Navy.
FLYNN, William Aloysius, Torpedoman second class, U.S. Navy.
FRANKS, Hartley Hardy, Ship's Cook second class, U.S. Navy.
FRENCH, Ralph George, Chief Commissary Steward, U.S. Navy.
GASKINS, Lester Carson, Machinist's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
GREER, John Calvin, Chief Electrician's Mate (PA), U.S. Navy.
GREY, Ernest Dwane, Jr., Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
GRIFFIN, Arthur Raymond, Signalman second class, U.S. Navy.
HARRIS, Charles Waldon, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
HAYES, Charles Chester, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
HENNIGER, William Henry, Gunner's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
HOGAN, Francis Robert, Gunners' Mate third class, U.S. Navy.
HOUSE, Hugh, Gunner's Mate third class, U.S. Navy.
HUDLIN, Maurice Woodrow, Fireman first class, U.S. Navy.
JOHNSON, Joseph, Mess Attendant first class, U.S. Navy.
JONES, Glen W., Chief Quartermaster (PA), U.S. Navy.
KALANTA, ANthony J., Boatswain's Mate second class, U.S. Navy.
KAPP, Donald, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
    [sic: should be "GUNN, Donald Knapp, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy" -HyperWar]
KEEVER, Leonard A., Chief Machinist's Mate (PA), U.S. Naval Reserve, F-4-C
KLOEPPER, Ralph W.H., Signalman third class, Class V-3, U.S. Naval Reserve.
LITTLE, Joseph Gustave, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
MAGARIS, Paul L., Radioman first class, U.S. Navy.
MC KEEVER, William James, Sean second class, U.S. Navy.
MERRELL, Windell Harmon, Fireman second class, U.S. Navy.
MERRITT, Auburn F., Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
MILLS, Gerald Edward, Seaman second class, Class V-1, U.S. Naval Reserve.
MONDOUK, Albert J., Chief Water Tender (PA), U.S. Naval Reserve, Class F-4-C.
MUSSLEWHITE, Edgar W., Machinist's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
NEELY, Kenneth Cecil, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
NEPTUNE, Aldon W., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
NEWTON, William Harding, Yeoman third class, U.S. Navy.
ORANGE, Harold J., Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
ORTIZUELA, Pedro, Officer's Cook first class, U.S. Navy.
OWEN, Benjamin T., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
PAINTER, William H., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
PARKIN, Joseph J., Chief Water Tender (PA), U.S. Navy.
PATERSON, William N., Coxswain, U.S. Navy.
PENNINGTON, BUrl G., Quartermaster second class, U.S. Navy.
POLIZZI, Joseph C., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
PORTER, Corwin D., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
POST, Frederick R., Boatswain's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
POWELL, Lee P., Pharmacist's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
RAYHILL, Elmer R., Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
REID, Lee Louis N., Torpedoman first class, Class V-6, U.S. Naval Reserve.
RESS, John R., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
ROGERS, James W., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
RYAN, John J., Jr., Coxswain, U.S. Navy.
RYGWELSKI, Clarence, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
SALTIS, Edward Peter, Boatswain's Mate first class, U.S. Navy.
SCHLOTTHAUER, Eugene, Chief Water Tender (AA), U.S. Navy.
SETTLE, Sunny J., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
SORENSEN, Walter, Gunner's Mate third class, U.S. Navy.
SOWERS, Wallace L., Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
STANKUS, Anthony Gedminus, Seaman second class, U.S. Navy.
STELMACH, Jerome, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
TAYLOR, Wilton L., Fireman first class, U.S. Navy.
TOWERS, George F., Chief Gunner's Mate (AA), U.S. Navy.
TURNER, Lewis Aubrey, Signalman third class, U.S. Navy.
VOILES, Loyd Z., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
VORE, Harold M., Fireman first class, U.S. Navy.
WEAVER, Jesse, Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
WELCH, Chester L., Fireman second class, U.S. Navy.
WHARTON, Kenneth R., Fire Controlman first class, U.S. Naval Reserve, Class F-4-C.
WOODY, George, Jr., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.
WRAY, Edwin E., Seaman first class, U.S. Navy.