Wednesday, January 10, 2007

America Opposes Surge: Bush Proceeds


By all accounts the Decider has decided that America's opposition to the Iraq War means nothing. When Bush addresses the nation tonight he is expected to announce that some 20,000 more troops will soon be headed to the war.

Never mind that the American people expressed a different view in the 2006 election. Never mind the views of the Iraq Study Group. Never mind the polls. [via]

Never mind the views of the Joint Chiefs of Staff!

When Tony Snow said "the president will not shape policy according to public opinion, he should have said, the pResident dictator thinks this country is a one man show and he is the show.

The only real question is: how do we stop the crazed cowboy?

Sen. Edward Kennedy said Tuesday that Congress had the authority to block the move through its power to approve spending.

"We cannot simply speak out against an escalation of troops in Iraq, we must act to prevent it," the Massachusetts Democrat said in a speech to the National Press Club.

Constitutional crisis?

The move seemed destined to touch off constitutional debate about the role of Congress and whether it can stop specific orders by the president — who is the commander in chief of the U.S. armed forces — once it has authorized the use of force.

"There can be no doubt that the Constitution gives Congress the authority to decide whether to fund military action, and Congress can demand a justification from the president for such action before it appropriates the funds to carry it out," Kennedy said.

Graphic via Unfairly Balanced.