Hacker News Reader

Comment by nozzlegear | Hacker News Reader

The president has broad authority to take military action without the requisite congressional authorization for up to 60 days (plus another 30 to allow for withdrawal of troops). It's been this way since the War Powers Act of 1973.

View on HN

And this was formally updated post 9/11 with the AUMF (Acceptable Use of Military Force) which gave the president quite sweeping powers without direct congressional approval. The caveat is that the AUMF is only for 9/11 responsible countries or affiliates. Given 9/11 was Al Qaeda and they are Sunni, and that Iran is Shia, they are not actually related since they want to also kill each other. Still, these powers are being bastardizes to limit the authority of congress.

https://www.congress.gov/107/plaws/publ40/PLAW-107publ40.pdf

The AUMF was an addition to WP so Iran's lack of support for AQ doesn't limit normal WP operations. Additionally sectarian concerns are more malleable than presented. As an example review Iran's long-standing support for Hamas which is Sunni-affiliated.

  —Consistent with section 8(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution, the Congress 
  declares that this section is intended to constitute specific statutory 
  authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers 
  Resolution.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com