Hey guys,

I usually do not like to ask for help to do a homework but this time, i need help. So, i have this class called " The foreign policy of the USA " and the teacher wants us to hand in an essay. The question of the essay is:

Has the Congress too much influence on the decision to enter war and if the "happening" and "continuity" if the US enter the war. According to which criteria? What are the reasons to make you think otherwise?

I can describe what is the role of the President and the Congress but what I am not sure to know how it works is how the Congress can make influence if the President is the decision taker about foreign policy?

thanks.

put on your flame jacket before you ask the COR to do your homework.

Congress is the only one that can offically declare war. The President can make the notion, but he can't say "The US is officially at war with ___".

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also they provide the funding and money that goes into war... president can not go around them in fiscal terms.

i believe congress controls the funds and can officially declare it a war, but in reality the president is the only one who can start one. I believe vietnam and korea weren't wars they were "conflicts" because the president circumvented congress.

quote:

Originally posted by dj_bas Congress is the only one that can offically declare war. The President can make the notion, but he can't say "The US is officially at war with ___".

then how come the Congress has only declared war 5 times and the US has sent troops more times than this. I guess it's because of the War Powers act.

What I am really looking to find out is if within the Congress, there is influence to go in a war bigger than the President's decision? Could the congress declare war and the President objecting??

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter then how come the Congress has only declared war 5 times and the US has sent troops more times than this. I guess it's because of the War Powers act. What I am really looking to find out is if within the Congress, there is influence to go in a war bigger than the President's decision? Could the congress declare war and the President objecting??

It's not an offical declaration of war unless Congress says so. But because the President is the 'chief executive' of the armed forces. He can still send the army to other countries for skirmishes or protection or whatever. It's like in 300 when Lionidas said he wasn't going to war, he just had 300 of his bodyguards with him while he went for a walk

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So to answer the question, I would likely answer that the Congress doesn't really have an influence on the decision to enter a war or a conflict because of 1) the President role as a chief of the army
2) the War Powers act that isn't really respected

It has, however, more influence in the decision to persue or not a war because it controls its funding?

quote:

Originally posted by Zeiter It has, however, more influence in the decision to persue or not a war because it controls its funding?

congress doesn't even have power to do that. look at the Iraq war. Congress won't cut funds because they would appear weak and unpatriotic for endangering the troops by not properly funding. Its easy to start a war but difficult to end it. Who wants to admit defeat? Its also a political battle where if the party in power has majority or near majority in congress they can block any bill to cut funding.

yeah if you're using the iraq war as your primary example, you're gonna have to talk a lot of political economics, like how the president's been funding this thing with supplimentals etc
congress does have some power, but the way the president set this thing up back when there was a rep. majority in the congress, if the congress used their power it would basically rip a new one for any democrats planning to run in 08
god damn politricks

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http://www.youtube.com/mezzir

quote:

Originally posted by mezzir yeah if you're using the iraq war as your primary example, you're gonna have to talk a lot of political economics, like how the president's been funding this thing with supplimentals etc congress does have some power, but the way the president set this thing up back when there was a rep. majority in the congress, if the congress used their power it would basically rip a new one for any democrats planning to run in 08 god damn politricks

Yeah the only time politicians stand up for the right thing is when its in their political interest. Same reason why the democrats went along with Bush's war in the first place. It's mostly a democracy in name only.

so, if i understand correctly, the President decides to go to war..then all the republicans will in vast majority support his decision. But now that the congress is in majority democrat, why don't they put a stop to the war in iraq? because of the values that the american people care such as democracy, freedom etc?