for all of you people who accuse bush of starting the war in iraq...?

Question

i was just learning in social studies that the president cant declare war, the legislative branch or something does...so is he REALLY responcible? dont get me wrong though, i still hate him

Answer 1

The president can commit troops to an area, though, and that is what Bush has done. Congress has not declared war on anyone since the Korean War.

Answer 2

Congress has the right to declare war, NOT THE President. But the President has the free hand in running the conflict (i.e. Truman, later Eisenhower with Korea and Johnson, later Nixon with Vietnam) without Congressional approval. And yes, Bush DID start the illegal war in Iraq! The last time Congress declared was was against Japan and Germany on December 7, 1941.

Answer 3

One, I don't think this is an officially declared war like WWII was. Second, these people claim that he lied to Congress about the reasons for Iraq. He has said that he as well as France and other countries got bad intelligence on the Weapons of Mass Destruction--the reason we went into Iraq. Regardless of whether or not Iraq is an officially declared war, it is still a war nonetheless. Isn't it? I'd like to know why you "still hate him" though? Do you hate him because it is popular to hate him or do you have sound reasons, unlike many of those adults who hate him, to dislike him as you say you do?

Answer 4

True; the Congress declares war, niot he President.
However, as Commander in Chief, the president may move troops into battle before the Congress can act without a Declaration of War approved by Congress.
In this case, Bush also lead the ruling party in Congress (Republicans), and manipulated the intelligence the Congress saw, so by the time anyone questioned the matter we had invaded Iraq.
We have not been at "war" since World War 2, but we have fought the Korean War, the Veitnam War, the first Gulf War, and other conflicts without a declaration.

Answer 5

There are multiple points of view here...but, I'd say that terrorism in general is the cause of war. Yes, Congress voted to go to war, but no official declaration of war has been made on a country.
You sound pretty young...do you hate Bush because your parents hate him, because of his education policies, or because we are at war and there's no draft? To justify hating the leader of your country, I believe you need to do a lot of research. In foreign policy, research the US appeasement policy under Carter, the war in Afghanistan against the USSR, and Clinton's refusal to have Osama bin Lauden handed to him.
I don't mean to sound like I'm preaching...just before you say you hate someone, make sure you know why. [Was including your opinion really necessary when you asked that question?]

Answer 6

It is true, the President cannot unilaterally declare war. That declaration must come from Congress. However, he does have the authority under the War Powers Act to commit U.S. soldiers to different arenas to engage in combat.l

The U.S. hasn't declared war since WW2.

Answer 7

The president can unoffically declare war but to officially declare it he needs to get it passed through Congress.

Answer 8

A president needs Congressional approval, but in Bush's case....HE thought the approval his father had during Desert Storm was enough for him to declare it without Congressional approval. We aren't officially 'at war' with Iraq. Congress hasn't declared war since WWII, but we're over there doing all of the things that are done in a war.

Answer 9

This administration seemingly prides itself in breaking all the rules. Why should Bush bother going through congress to have war declared, when he knows well that he can get away with not doing so? Seems to me that the government no longer considers the constitution to be valid.

Answer 10

He got around actually declaring war. What's going on is just "peace-keeping" and assisting democracy! Don't the images you've seen from that region convince you that we're just keeping the peace?