332 Comments
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Stil29's avatar

Doesn’t that require Congress

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🇨🇦KeltLayne🇨🇦's avatar

Yes it does. But Congress is now just for show. They’ve been taken down at the knees. Self inflicted.

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S. A. Linden's avatar

Never forget that the corporate Dems have lucrative stock holdings in defense industries. Playing both sides, guys?

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Jill's avatar

Doesn’t it matter to ANYONE, that real human lives are at stake and getting the US involved in a war THAT IS NOT OURS, WILL COST AMERICAN LIVES. OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, OUR HUSBANDS AND WIVES. THIS SHOULD NOT BE OUR WAR!!

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Christine's avatar

I have been so upset all day thinking of our military men/women not to mention there are Americans who are there and all flights have been cancelled.

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drg's avatar
2hEdited

I used to think they weren't poisoning our food to make us sick... "𝙗𝙪𝙩" this changed everything...

https://t.co/rQpdEv9bhT

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Geri Guerin's avatar

As do Republicans. When it comes to guns, both parties have their "bold" members.

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Adam Stoler's avatar

you lazy — are in the majority and therefore you own what Congress does and doesn’t do

stop deflecting

grow up and take responsibility already you spineless sycophants

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Christina Lewis's avatar

Who are you replying to??

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Angryface They/Them's avatar

Woah. Name calling gets us all nowhere.

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Lois W. Halbert's avatar

Which ones??

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Jamie Hamilton's avatar

Can’t someone in congress bring an emergency stay against him until congress literally approves of the war happening???

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Jill's avatar

Disgusting. What are the citizens of this country paying them for?? Ass kissing? Because if so, I’ve got one that hasn’t been kissed for a while!!

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Mika Anderson's avatar

On their knees with their tongues far up Conalds ass!!

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Issa's avatar

To officially declare war, yes he would need approval from Congress. However, as part of the presidential powers granted by Congress, he can approve attacks/strikes without their immediate express consent. Amanda's Mild Takes did a really good breakdown of it earlier today actually

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Geri Guerin's avatar

I agree with most of what Amanda said, but I think she underplayed the role of Congress. Iran would need to provoke more violently that it yet has to allow Trump to hit the button without Congressional approval. We all know Hegseth's position on the matter--he definitely doesn't consider consequences.

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Jill's avatar

Hegseth, doesn’t know jack shit about the position he has been put in!!!! He can’t even be in a chat without fucking it up!

This is bad, folks!

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Badass Mama's avatar

He can strike without declaring war. He must tell Congress 48 hours after and can only be involved for 60 days. Then Congress can either declare war or not.

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S. A. Linden's avatar

Trump's War would become WW III in 60 days and the nature of the conflict would have shifted. These self-dealers get around everything!

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Jamie Hamilton's avatar

If we ever get out of this DT mess we are going to have to have a major overhaul to prevent all this crap happening ever again!!!

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Anne H's avatar

No one is joining the US and Israel. It's weapons of mass destruction all over again.

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Sheri Cooper's avatar

You speaking about a true Declaration of War. He has the authority to bomb, we'll see what happens after the big bombs tonight. IRA. said earlier in the day they were going to do something that the 🌎 would remember for ever. 🤯🤯🤯

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Sam's avatar

That’s what I thought!

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Janet's avatar

That is what I was about to ask.

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Abbygirl1974's avatar

Yep. I think it is supposed to require a vote from Congress.

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Maria's avatar
11hEdited

What’s the point of the vote? The House approves everything. Only if it were to get to the Senate, can there be some pushback.

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Kim's Corner's avatar

The Senate is part of Congress.

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Maria's avatar

I know. I was thinking of the House when I wrote my comment. 🫢☺️. I am laughing at myself.

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Kim's Corner's avatar

Lol. I totally get it. Just clarifying for those reading. :)

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Kiwiwriter47's avatar

As I have repeatedly written, Presidents since 1942 have gotten around that.

Korea was a "police action under the United Nations."

Vietnam came under the "Tonkin Gulf Resolution" that authorized LBJ to act in Vietnam.

Nixon did not bother to consult Congress on secretly bombing Cambodia. Double-entry bookkeeping kept that quiet for a while.

Congress authorized the US to support UN resolutions for Desert Storm in 1991.

And authorized "combat operations" against Iraq in 2003. It did not "Declare War."

The last time we did that was in 1942. Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary. They were Hitler's puppet allies. We did not declare war on other Nazi puppet nations: Manchukuo, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia, the Italian Social Republic, as we did not regard them as legitimate nations. Manchukuo's 1931 creation, for example, was condemned by the League of Nations at the time, and while the US was not in the League of Nations, it also condemned that act by the Japanese.

In the nuclear environment, where a President might have a matter of minutes to decide on massive retaliation, Congress's only role will be to flee Washington DC before the bombs turn it into a moonscape.

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Stil29's avatar

Thank you

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Bassehound's avatar

Saw not all in congress willing to back war. Two so far in headlines backing bills to not go with war;

Cong. Massie

Sen Kaine

Many other wars were without approval including Vietnam.

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

Marjorie Taylor Greene is not willing to back it…and she makes herself heard.

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Bassehound's avatar

The more the better. Have no TV and substack is only social media so I am not on the list of what happens at the moment.

First saw Kaine, then Massie who has a dem co-backer.

I do not care what team joins as long as they join.

IMO time to shed teams and band together as our country is being destroyed on many fronts.

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Geri Guerin's avatar

Vietnam was a very different situation. No nuclear weapons were there to muddy the waters, and it was not a declared "war" for a number of years. Actually, did we ever declare war, or just say we provided support?

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Donna Blankinship's avatar

No. Congress is supposed to confirm a declaration of war. But presidents can and have sent troops around the globe without Congressional approval. Many times

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

On peace keeping missions, yes.

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Donna Blankinship's avatar

And the interpretation on what is a peacekeeping mission is also in the president’s hands.

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

Wonderful😞

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Donna Blankinship's avatar

I know…

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Rock Wilcox's avatar

First things first; before keeping peace, one must find it....and in this particular case, peace has taken wings and fled the scene.

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Marc R Hapke's avatar

Not in a dictatorship.

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Deb's avatar

According to the constitution, under article 1, Section 8, Clause 11, yes, congress has the sole power to declare war.

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Mariel Guzman's avatar

In the United States, the power to declare war is granted to **Congress** by **Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution**, which states that Congress has the power:

> *"To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water."*

However, the **President** (as Commander-in-Chief under **Article II, Section 2**) has the authority to deploy military forces without a formal declaration of war. This has led to conflicts between the executive and legislative branches over war powers.

### Key Laws and Precedents:

1. **War Powers Resolution (1973)**

- Passed after the Vietnam War to limit the President’s ability to commit troops without Congressional approval.

- Requires the President to notify Congress within **48 hours** of deploying troops.

- Forces the President to withdraw troops after **60 days** (with a 30-day withdrawal period) unless Congress authorizes further action.

2. **Historical Practice**

- The U.S. has formally declared war **11 times** (all by Congress), including in World War II.

- However, many major conflicts (Korea, Vietnam, Iraq (1991 & 2003), Afghanistan, Syria, etc.) were conducted **without a formal declaration of war**, relying instead on **Congressional authorizations (e.g., AUMFs – Authorizations for Use of Military Force)** or executive decisions.

### Does Congress *Have* to Approve?

- **Technically, yes** for a formal declaration of war.

- **In practice, no**, because Presidents often use **AUMFs, UN resolutions, or emergency powers** to justify military action.

- Congress can **cut funding** or pass resolutions to oppose a war, but this is politically difficult.

### Recent Examples:

- **2001 AUMF** (after 9/11) – Still used to justify military actions globally.

- **2011 Libya Intervention** – Obama acted without Congressional approval, arguing it was not "war."

- **2020 Airstrike on Soleimani** – Trump did not seek approval, citing self-defense.

### Conclusion:

While the Constitution gives Congress the sole power to **declare war**, modern Presidents often bypass this by using **existing authorizations or executive authority**. Congress has struggled to reclaim its war powers, leading to ongoing debates about the balance of power.

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Mary Jo Christian's avatar

Unreal, his corrupt regime can’t even put together a military parade and now he is going to get this country in a war!!! He’s such an IDIOT!!!! Fuck Krasnov Drumpf!!!!

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DLH's avatar

Yes. But Trump doesn’t think so.🙄

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Bassehound's avatar

Unfortunately no congress declared war for decades including Vietnam.

In Cong some trying to stop with bills:

Sen Kaine

Cong massie who has a dem co sponser.

Congress is so bought off with big bucks not sure these bills will get anywhere.

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Lois W. Halbert's avatar

Yes but they are cowarding when it comes to Trump.

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Keifer's avatar

They need to declare a war. The prez can strike and do "preemptive" strikes and move military personnel. But war is declared through congress. Prez can push us into war.

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Geri Guerin's avatar

With Hegseth at the controls??? Please, NO!

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Jacqueline Greene's avatar

That bastard.

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Melvin Dworak's avatar

I think it's Rat Bastard, lol

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Steel Grey's avatar

Well said

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Sage’s Mom's avatar

Get him out of the WHITE HOUSE now!!!!!!!!!

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

AGREE!!!

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Kathleen Blair's avatar

Please tell me he is out of his fucking mind. Why is he dragging us into this??

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Cheryl Seybert's avatar

Because he is bound & determine to get us in a war!! So he can pretend to “fix” it! Trying to get a Nobel Peace Prize! Congress you better step up and denounce & deny this crap!!🤦🏼‍♀️😡😤🤬

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Danita Hamilton's avatar

Exactly but he will get the worst not my president in American history

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Danita Hamilton's avatar

Exactly he is going to get us all killed.

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Mimisuko95's avatar

The war will not be confined to the Middle East area but will embrace the whole world as Iran is not alone. Imagine having Russia, N Korea and Pakistan on us, how will we survive this. We better start self-deporting ourselves to any remaining nations that still want us.

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CheriF's avatar

Especially when he deleted the previous treaty agreement, which Iran was abiding

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Mitchell A Hill's avatar

Generally throughout US history the president gets a popularity boost when he gets into a war. This will provide a distraction from all the other shit going down.

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Geri Guerin's avatar

General-ly, we are at a major disadvantage. Most with some wartime experience are retired or were fired. Please don't make me write that idiot whose name starts with an H's name again! Absolutely no military comander experience at the Defense Dept.

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Juno's avatar

Fuck him. I trust maga will be lining up to enlist. They need to support their guy.

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Toni Galloway's avatar

Baron needs to go too

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Bassehound's avatar

Will never happen there are trump phones to promote.

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Ana warner's avatar

He has familial bone spurs.

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Gerry D's avatar

Unless, of course, he inherited bone spurs from his father.

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Geri Guerin's avatar

Didn't Baron inherit his dad's bone spurs?

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Geri Guerin's avatar

And Eric. And Don Jr.

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Arturo Rios's avatar

Genuinely asking, how does this affect the ENTIRE WORLD, like, is this a possibility of WW3 ? All of this doesn’t sound very good for the US

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Steve's avatar

Absolutely correct, this is not good for the entire world and the world needs to pull America back from destroying the rest of us. We can't allow America's love of war (they haven't won a war for a long time but they love to start them) to destroy us all.

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Geri Guerin's avatar

We won Desert Storm.

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Steel Grey's avatar

How many years has American army been in Afghanistan and Iraq? No we didn’t win anything just long miserable drawn out war.

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Retha Mckenna🥀's avatar

Sadly we know nothing because we have a President ( whose salary we pay.Also works for the American people) has not once come out and had a Press Conference to talk directly to the American people.That’s unprecedented😡 Everyone in the chat think about that! He tweet tweet tweets🙄 We know nothing and they’re laughing at us😡 By him saying that it gives him power to do whatever he wants.The Trump administration doesn’t go by the rules.We could go into a War at any moment to stroke his ego and we will find out by a tweet? He wants all American to be scared 🥲💙💙💙💙💙

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Warrior4Justice's avatar

The orange moron has only enough english language skills to tweet; anything longer than 1-2 lines and its complete word salad.

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Retha Mckenna🥀's avatar

Isn’t that the truth💯

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Liz Smith's avatar

In past world wars, countries that agreed politically and were on good terms tended to form alliances with each other. If the US strikes Iran, Iran's allies are going to want to support Iran while whatever countries that support the US and Israel are going to want to support those countries.

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Janice Darling's avatar

precious few countries would want to go to war and at this point, certainly not to support tRump's insanity. It's all bloviated ego -- they don't like me in the G7? Well I'll show them who is more powerful... so infantile yet so dangerous. And if Iran does back down because they know better than to start WW3 he will be lauded as being such a master of the deal when in reality, it is the maturity of the rest of the world that is preventing him from having to bear the brunt of his asinine decisions, nothing to do with any finesse on his part. I rarely hate any person like I do this one.

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Ana warner's avatar

…and he’s isolated us from our allies.

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Arturo Rios's avatar

So what you both are saying is that the US is basically screwed if they get involved with this which they already are involved and because they’re screwed they’re screwing us, the people that didn’t want this

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Mariel Guzman's avatar

In other words expect another 9/11 type punishment from the Middle East because of our involvement in this conflict that we the citizens don’t approve of.

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Mariel Guzman's avatar

The U.S. and UK are major global powers with significant influence over international politics, economics, and military affairs. Their actions—whether through foreign policy, economic sanctions, military interventions, or alliances—can have profound effects on other nations. Here are some key ways they impact the world:

**1. Military Interventions & Alliances**

- The U.S. and UK have been involved in numerous conflicts (e.g., Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria), often shaping regional stability.

- NATO, led by the U.S., plays a central role in global security, particularly against rivals like Russia.

- AUKUS (U.S., UK, Australia) and other alliances counter China’s influence in the Indo-Pacific.

**2. Economic Influence**

- The U.S. dollar is the world’s reserve currency, giving America enormous leverage over global trade and finance.

- Sanctions (e.g., on Russia, Iran, China) can cripple economies and force political changes.

- The UK, through the City of London, remains a major financial hub.

**3. Intelligence & Cyber Operations**

- The **Five Eyes** alliance (U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, NZ) dominates global surveillance.

- Both nations engage in cyber warfare (e.g., Stuxnet, alleged Russian election interference responses).

**Could This Lead to WW3?**

While direct conflict between the U.S./UK and major powers (Russia, China) is unlikely due to **Mutually Assured Destruction (MAD)**, there are flashpoints:

- **Ukraine War**: If NATO directly clashes with Russia.

- **Taiwan**: If China invades and the U.S. intervenes.

- **Middle East Escalation**: If Israel-Iran tensions draw in Western powers.

**Conclusion**

The U.S. and UK have outsized global influence, and while their actions can heighten tensions, full-scale **WW3 is unlikely unless a direct war breaks out between nuclear powers**. However, proxy wars, economic warfare, and cyber conflicts will continue shaping global instability.

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Kimberly Haynes's avatar

I thought congress had to approve such a move

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KC's avatar

So... We all still paying taxes at this point?

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Janice Darling's avatar

good point. let's not.

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Bradford Peters's avatar

My problem with this, why do we know about this? The imitation orange flavored felon can’t hold water in a glass with a top on it. He and his administration talk to damn much. He is the most dangerous person to ever sit in the oval.

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Leanne Neace's avatar

Without a doubt.

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CBKasner's avatar

Ok, so Iran is our war. But Ukraine/Russia, isn’t our war. Jesus Christ the ongoing hypocrisy 🤦🏼‍♀️

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Leanne Neace's avatar

He's on Russia's side. He can't just say that but actions speak louder than words. He won't sanction Putin, he won't denounce Putin's war crimes, rapes, torture and abduction of thousands of Ukrainian children. He diverted promised defense equipment from Ukraine. He is, in fact, the most threatening person on the planet - God Almighty please remove him from power however you see fit.

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CBKasner's avatar

I know, I have known for a white but still can’t 😡

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Barbie's avatar

He’s really going to start a war to distract from his bad ratings and press. Unbelievable smh 🤦‍♀️

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CO's avatar

So the guy who said he’s the peace president is going to start WWIII? He can’t declare war only congress can but he can declare it a military action instead! We are way past that point now this whole regime has to be replaced

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Janet Sanderson's avatar

Yes, the whole regime,package deal.

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CO's avatar

Absolutely

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C Volanos's avatar

He will back out Trump is a pussy

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Maria's avatar

From your mouth to God’s ears.

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Lisa's avatar

Where is congress???

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Brenda Davis's avatar

In his back pocket

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Tara Batin's avatar

The War Powers Act of 1973 is a U.S. federal law intended to check the president's power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of Congress. It requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of sending troops into hostilities or situations where hostilities are imminent. It also stipulates that forces cannot remain engaged for more than 60 days (with a further 30 days for withdrawal) without congressional authorization.

CONGRESS stop sitting there doing nothing and saying nothing!! What are you there for?

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Janice Darling's avatar

um, if he is going to strike nuclear making labs or whatever is supposedly hidden under the mountain in Iran, does he think that whatever radioactivity is there won't kinda, you know, escape and kinda, you know, do some hefty damage to civilians. He is counting on them backing down but this kind of playing fast and loose is NOT OKAY

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Brenda Davis's avatar

To do his bidding

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Rebecca Bishop's avatar

This is obscene and unnecessary. We had a treaty that was working that he destroyed. Sickening.

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