War may be declared only by_______?_____?

Answer 1

in the US it takes an act of congress...
but! the president can order the Marines to fight without approval form anyone...
may people have suggested that be changed but it never was..

I should know I used to be a Marine :-)

Answer 2

According to Section 8 of Article I of the Constitution, Congress has the following powers in relation to war and the military:

) To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water;

) To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use shall be for a longer term than two years;

) To provide and maintain a navy;

) To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval forces;

) To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions;

) To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the United States, reserving to the states respectively, the appointment of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;

Strangely, all of these things are now being done by the Department of Defense, which is part of the Executive Branch under the Office of the Preident.

According the Constitution, it was the responsibility of Congess to prepare, train, recruit, house, pay, discipline, and support the armed forces, and only Congress could decide when and where they should be employed. All that the President was supposed to do was, once war has been declared by Congress, direct the forces as commander-in-chief.

My, how far we have come from the Constitution. I am particular interested to note that it is Congress who has the responsibility to determine how to handle 'captures on land and water.' I assume that should also mean how to deal with prisoners captured in war.

Today, almost all of this was handed over to the President by the War Powers Act of 1973. If someone wanted to stop the war in Iraq, they should challenge the War Powers Act on Constitutional grounds.

Answer 3

Can't challenge the War in Iraq because Congress authorized the use of force. In other words they declared war but tried to cover their own butt. It's the old CYOA(cover your own ***.) Oh and the President was given the power to move forces and fight undeclared for like 2 weeks before he has to get approval. This gives him the endless power of war. He simply cycles the troops before the two weeks. It isn't a DECLARED war but the bullets are just as real.

Answer 4

Congress.

Answer 5

I think that only the president can declare war.

Answer 6

The President, if he is unable, it's the secetary of state (Remember Reagan and Haig?)

Answer 7

well i believe that greed and helplessness are the means of war

Answer 8

congress