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« Reply #1 on: April 15, 2017, 07:52:47 PM » |
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The Patriot Post Digest 4-11-2017
From The Federalist Patriot
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In a letter to Congress26 following the attacks, President Trump justified his actions under the executive powers found in Article II of the Constitution. However, Trump and his national security team, from National Security Advisor LTG H.R. McMaster to Secretary of Defense James Mattis, have not yet articulated a strategic vision on the way ahead for Syria. Due to this lack of clarity, a growing contingent of Congress feels now is the appropriate time to review the executive branch’s legal authority for future military action against the Assad government. Specifically, they want to determine whether a new authorization for use of military force (AUMF) needs to be crafted for operations in Syria.
Before determining that, it’s important to understand the concept of its implementation. Per the War Powers Act of 1973, United States military forces cannot operate in a deployed status for more than 60 days and operations lasting longer than that time frame require a congressional declaration of war or an authorized use of military force. Currently, the United States conducts operations around the world under AUMFs that were passed in 200127 and 200228.
The 2001 AUMF, only 60 words long, was invoked by both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations to justify military actions around the world. Now, the Trump administration has used it to justify troop presence in Syria29, where U.S. forces are conducting missions on a daily basis. However, many legislators feel that these pieces of legislation are dated and need to be modified or replaced if the U.S. is to continue operating in Syria, one of the most dangerous places in the world. The question is whether or not the leadership of Congress is willing to underwrite a thoughtful debate about the future of American forces in the region.
The current situation in Syria is apocalyptic. The humanitarian crisis is epic30 — between 400,000-500,000 people are dead and up to five million more have fled the war-torn nation. The civil war in Syria has been an ongoing conflict for the last six years and it’s an incredibly complicated area of operations. Multiple factions, including the Assad government (actively supported by Russian and Hezbollah troops), Sunni Arabs, Salafi jihadists and Kurdish forces are just a few of the groups fighting for power.
If Trump plans on continuing actions in Syria, then Congress needs to press him and his team for a strategic plan and goals. Once a plan has been codified by the executive branch, Congress then needs to work with Trump’s national security team on developing an AUMF that enables the Defense Department and other executive agencies to address the security concerns of Syria and the surrounding nations, including Jordan and Lebanon. This is Trump’s best opportunity to show that he is serious about changing the dysfunctional dynamics of the Levant.
However, if he chooses to ignore Congress, he will continue the recent pattern of presidents who fail to appreciate the constitutional role of the legislative branch when it comes to putting our nation’s men and women in harm’s way.
We’ll close with the words of our first commander in chief, George Washington: “The Constitution vests the power of declaring war with Congress,” he wrote in 1793, “therefore no offensive expedition of importance can be undertaken until after they shall have deliberated upon the subject, and authorized such a measure.”
MORE ANALYSIS FROM THE PATRIOT POST
Solving the Problem of North Korea31 — The strike on Syria was a warning shot, but China still must step in and help rein in Kim and his nukes.
High Gas Taxes Drive Out Growth32 — California’s latest taxpayer siphon has lessons for Tennessee, which is considering making the same mistake.
Unknown Climate Cause and Effect33 — When it comes to predicting climate, computer models are not gospel. They’re as good as the data they’re given.
Small-Engines vs. Ethanol Regs34 — Once again the government’s attempt to pick a winner is producing more losers.
BEST OF RIGHT OPINION
Hans von Spakovsky: No More ‘Catch and Release’ for Illegal Immigrants35
Rich Lowry: The Russian Stooge36
Cal Thomas: The Middle East’s Siren Call37
For more, visit Right Opinion38.
OPINION IN BRIEF
Hans von Spakovsky: “One of the smartest steps President Donald Trump has taken to get our illegal immigration problem under control was ending the Obama administration’s policy known as ‘catch and release.’ Border Patrol agents have long sarcastically called it the ‘catch and run’ policy. Why? Because aliens who have been caught and then released under the stipulation they show up for a scheduled hearing frequently fail to appear in court. … Over the past 20 years, 37 percent of all illegal aliens released pending trial never showed up for court. … There is no other court in America that lets defendants ignore orders to appear. In fact, federal law provides severe penalties for failing to show up to a federal district court. Only in immigration courts can non-citizens disappear and potentially not face the kinds of consequences that a citizen would face for failing to appear in federal district court. When illegal immigrants ignore our courts and ICE doesn’t enforce the law, it destroys the integrity of our legal system and encourages continued illegal immigration. The Trump administration is right to try and prevent illegal aliens from exploiting the loopholes in our immigration court system.”
SHORT CUTS
Insight: “A man who has never gone to school may steal from a freight car, but if he has a university education he may steal the whole railroad.” —Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882-1945)
Getting it right: “What happened in Egypt was unbelievably significant. If you look at what ISIS really stands for, what they are carrying out now in the Middle East, and in Egypt in particular, is a kind of genocidal attack on Christians and Christianity. They want Christianity eradicated, and they want to convert all Muslims to their crusade. They want it to be a holy war. And they want Christians gone. And I don’t think that narrative is getting the attention it should get in the American media and, I have to say, in other media as well around the world.” —Piers Morgan
For the record: “The Obama administration was supposed to have stripped Syria of chemical weapons. Syria gassed its citizens. And that brings us to the Iran nuclear deal. As the editors of the New York Post asked last night, ‘Why should anyone still believe the same team’s assurances on Iran’s ability to produce nukes?’ Vicious liars like the North Koreans, Syrians, and Iranians tend to be vicious liars no matter the documents they sign. That’s a truth worth remembering as another WMD deal collapses and further destabilizes an already-dangerous world.” —David French
Observations: “History is going to be rough on [the Syria debacle]. This is going to be the defining moment for the Obama presidency. And what is so interesting about it [is] it’s going to be a moment of inaction, and it proves the point that what you don’t do can matter every bit as much as what you do when you govern.” —Council on Foreign Relations president Richard Haass
And last… “It really is a miracle that thanks to flight we can get anywhere in the world within hours with just a little groping and random beatings.” —Frank Fleming
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Managing Editor Nate Jackson
Join us in daily prayer for our Patriots in uniform — Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen — standing in harm’s way in defense of Liberty, and for their families. |
