I would agree with you, but I don’t think that’s what he meant. he did poor job explaining himself. I understood him to mean consult with NATO, the UN and our allies to see if international law or human rights law were violated. If they found justifiable reason they present it to congress. Congress still has to vote they can say no. We still retain the right to defend our self if an imminent attack or violation of violation of the US occur without seeking NATO or UN approval. But going into Libya, Syria does not fit those criterion. Going to war with Iran or committing our troops to preemptive strike on that country definitely requires congressional approval first.

I agree, let’s send only ur kids first congress then we can talk about if you feel the same way. And it has to be in the same cheap gear they pass on to the folk in battle now.

To add to this point, has anyone noticed that when Obama is campaigning (which basically started when he was elected) the rhetoric these past few months no matter how ridiculous or untrue his statements are, there have been very few, if any, mainstream media types challenging or disputing his claims? When the constructive criticism or debate has stopped, it’s as if all the statements are true and to the untrained or ignorant folks, these are viewed as the truth, this to me is the scariest part of this agenda. When it is hard to tell the media from Big Government, is this close to the collapse of our nation or will “the rest of the people wake up to this fact”? Is it possible that the masses are mind controlled?

Patriot: “Hope & Change” was also never defined. However, “WE THE PEOPLE” have the last word IN SPITE of the main stream media. Our Constition will withstand this test. Long live the USA!

As much as Obama’s political defeat would be good for the USA, I doubt that the minions of supports will stand by while that happens. My guess is that we’re in for 4 more years. My guess also is that the USA union won’t survive that probability.

You are suffering from a false assumption here Car! I, and from reading these posts, many others DO, very clearly understand the difference between a Republic and a Democracy! The fact is that we haven’t be praticing Republicanism as a form of government since 1861!
If we were still a Republic PPACA, Dodd-Frank, NDAA, the Department of Education , the Department of Energy, The EPA, ETC., ETC. could not exist as Federal Laws or Institutions. Artical 1, Section 8 and the Tenth Amendment would prohibit it!
If you are upset with our Democracy, as I and many others are, please don’t look at what is now happening and what will surly happen if we don’t vote Obama out of office! If Obama wins another term, without Conservative gains in the House and especially the Senate, by the end of 2013 we will have further degenerated into a Social Democracy!

Republics decline into Democracies, and Democracies degenerate into despotisms.

If someone repeats something often enough, others will repeat and soon that seems to make things true. BO repeats foolish things and repeats, so the docile believers think he’s brilliant. My sister in a constitutional attorney and she doesn’t mangle the English language.

Kick him out and TRY to save our country if it isn’t too late.

Remember…Hitler, too, was a community organizer.

“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”

Joseph Goebbels

Neil Breckenridge: Totally agreed. WE THE PEOPLE have the last word & our constitution will stand this test. America is waking up, perhaps for the first time in a century! That can only be a good thing. Time to hit that “restart” button!

I think that it really began somewhat eariler Patriot, with Lincoln! His administration replaced our Constitutional Republic with a Representative Democracy, largely nullifying the 9th & 10 th. amendments.
Wilson further degraded our Government into a simple Democracy. With his administrations passage of the 16th. & 17th. ammendments. The former granted them a hugh pool of money to misapproiate, and the latter insuring the best Congress that money could buy!

Patriot; Hear, hear! The current system of Czars comes to mind. Long live the USA!

Jane how about then not giving Obama permission to start a war that he said he would go over there head to declare.

The congress vote along party line, not what is good for the country. If voters let every one justifies his vote at election time congress would change.. This does not happen since most people are uneducated on the issue and vote for a candidate based on election year sound bites paid for by billionaires and special interest. The will of the people are not represented since politician vote the interest of those they can count on for campaign contributions and we all vote party line. Everything stays the same and we complain but refuse to educate our self and vote our self interest.

It makes no difference to me if one we elect is rich or poor, as long as they lead. A leader is concerned about all of the people, and the affairs of the country and state, he is not concerned with making money or consolidating power, those items are for despots and tyrants and dictators. If we do not remove obama from office, we will ultimately put one of the three in place of a freely elected president. One should not seek office to simply reap rewards, there is an assumed fiduciary responsibility that comes with election to office, and if you cannot honor that you should be removed, as quickly as possible. Career politicians are as bad as a plague, and lead to the same place

Agreed, they’re already fully engaged in that process Leon. The accounts of U.S. history that kids will have presented to them in the up coming history texts will be totally revised to that which fits best into the Progressive/Socialist mode of indoctrination.

Obama is the new FDR. A chicken in every pot, a car in every garage and the governments hand in every persons wallet.

Dont forget Lincoln.

She has every right to speak her mind. let he who is without sin cast the first stone. Is that clear enough for you.

Bob Johnson: Rights come with responsibilities. Kathy’s mind is in question.

Oh joy, the spelling Police are here! Everyone, quick grab your Thesaurus and Dictionary! Let’s, by all means, focus on the spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure, after all the substance is only a secondary issue, at best!

Dear Ted: What substance?

Her is another thought bp. Perhaps this individule is an immigrant. If so they are attempting to communicate in a foreign language. How many languages do you speak, let alone read and write, bp?
It also seems that you are confused about the ideaology of the Progressives! Nothing said was in keeping with the Progressive platform, exactly the opposite is the case!

Hello again, Ted: Four & I’ve forgotten one. How about you?

Who appointed you to be the board censor, BP?

Great, DaveH; maybe you can explain the point?

What is the matter bp you have no response to Kathy so you are resorting to subdifuse to comment on grammar and sentence structure. Because you can not dispute the substance of her comment. Or, did her logic go beyond your ability to comrehend?

Rick:Find no logic or substance or punctuation in the comment. What is “subdifuse”?

Wow BP , thats a typical leftist statement . Not all people are articulate or have the ability to calmly form a response to posts . Kathy has every right to post and comment on here and share her opinion . Grammer and punctuation aside . I am sure people get the gist of her message . As for valuable blog space ? What a load of horse hockey . I am fairly certain you mean , lets silence a dissenting voice .

As for the topic of the article , I am not quite certain just how many have served in the military , but be quite sure of the fact that Congress and only Congress has the power to send us off to war . Look at WWII , FDR’s “Day of Infamy” speech to Congress in which he asked Congress to authorize a state of war . And as much maligned as George Bush was for his post 9/11 actions even he went before Congress to as permission to sent troops off to war . And dispite the denials and later recantations and excuses , the vast majority of the house voted to send and commit our troops .

Barry O and his henchmen are simply trying to apply dictatorial powers and set us up for a total take over of power . He has made no bones about what he thinks of the Constitution and its rules over the presidency and has spit on and trampled it at every chance in his march to creating his own dictatorship . Having got over on us by getting elected when he was not legally entitled to be a candidate , he feels he can do pretty much what ever he feels like . If you doubt , just look at all the things he has crammed through without approval of anyone as he sticks it to America .

Wyatt: Typical leftist point view; everyone gets a trophy; no grammatical standards whatsoever. Please explain this “comment”, “opinion” or “message” , a “dissenting voice”. “Better to keep one’s mouth shut & appear a fool than to open it & remove all doubt.”

Interesting comments. I can see BP’s point because there are no periods, words misspelled, etc so I couldn’t really understand what she was trying to say. But what is interesting is the very thing that you all are criticizing bp for is exactly what you are doing to him. He has a right to speak his mind and it sounds like he was frustrated with the post. Perhaps bp could have expressed it differently. However, he/she gets to express regardless of what the rest of you think just as Kathy does.

I wanted to say that, but could not.

Can you read, Wendy? Our comments were not an effort to censor BP. His WERE an effort to censor Kathy.
To wit from BP — “Go back to school; at least get your GED before talking to adults. You’re taking up valuable blogging/editorial space. Or maybe you are just a progressive mole”.
Show me any response to BP that was equally vitriolic.

bp, if you had a shred of common sense, you would probably have realized that she doesn’t type by touch (no periods, no capitalization, etc) and that usually creates lots of errors. Errors, I might add, that may appear to be spelling or grammar errors when, in fact, they aren’t.

Perhaps if you spent as much time actually reading her comments, instead of belittling them and her, you might have understood. Perhaps it is you who actually “needs an education”.

Translation of Kathy’s comments for BP:

“We need a President to get things done. Everyone know Obama has no experience and that’s what got us in this place. Like all young (people) it’s spend, spend, spend which puts us deep into debt. I’s time we put someone who can do America right. Stop the flow of illegals, no more debt. It’s time we put someone who can do America right. Stop the flow of illegals, no more dream for foreigner’s education that we are paying for, giving jobs away to China. We’ve got to stop feeling sorry for other countries and stop paying countries for war. Play time is over. We’ve got to bring America back, not put it under. Reverse all of Obama’s laws. He had no right passing them on to us.”

Apparently, Kathy wasn’t too hard to understand, if I can easily translate her comment. Again, perhaps it’s your education, bp, that is lacking.

aww shucks…I made a boo boo. I have a typo and I’m sure bp will focus on it instead of the translation of Kathy’s post…you know how his small mind is!

I’s time we put someone who can do America right

Should be “It’s time”

No translation should be necessary amongst adults, texas! Thx.

My first thought FF. bp is the probably the progressive mole not Kathy.

independentthinker: This comment section has thoughtful, intelligent input from differing & like-minded views; always learn something new here. However, my experience has been that some “muck about”, if you will, to distract & divert. These are serious issues; the very future of our beloved country are at stake & input by “Kathy”s do not add to our discourse.

(resent edited)
independentthinker:This comment section has thoughtful, intelligent input from differing & like-minded views; always learn something new here. However, my experience has been that some “muck about”, if you will, to distract & divert. These are serious issues; the very future of our beloved country is at stake & “Kathy”s do not add to the discourse.

South Sudan & Kenya maybe be two of them They are serving as a training capacity.

Uganda is one, Leon. They were sent proportedly to help deal with a Warlord by the name of Joseph Kony! Time will tell where it goes from here!

Although I agree with the sentiments which you express, there does not seem any voting effectiveness left. We, collectively, have left the republic and now are circling the drain as prosperity and morality go down.

It sounds that you want a one party state with no congress no debate , just totalitarian government representing your point of view. Most of the middle east, Russia and China fits right in with your thinking. You seem to want to impeach the president every time you disagree with him. Remember 1/3 the country vote democrat, 1/3 republican, and 1/3 is independent minded and analyse their choice each go around.. You say forget the vote impeach every time my man lose.Just like like the bible, there are those who can trod out and quote scriptures that support their point of view. Reading the comments I see those who can point to articles of the constitution whenever it advances their point of view while at the same time ignoring every thing else that it says. Real life and the issues we face as a country and worldwide is complex and is not solved by emotional and closed minded way of thinking.

Exactly right Alex. While it’s nearly certain that he, like Clinton, would be Impeached, the end result would be the same as with Clinton. Impeachment, espesially at this point, would take far too long and accomplish nothing substantive!

In the interest of time, the quickest way to impeach Obama with our vote in November. As for David, if Iran had a missle aimed at Obama’s bedroom, he would probably want to sit down and have a beer, and ask Ahjmadenijad if they couldn’t “Just get along”.

This is for Freedom Fighter:

You are being animated by a non-issue. The UN Charter and our Constitution are not mutually exclusive. The UN Charter is part of our Constitution. Our Constitution controls, and supporting the UN does not in any way change or weaken this fact.

May I suggest you do some homework:

Read……… the UN Charter
Read……… the Constitution, and pay particular attention to Article VI.
Read……… Act of Creation, The Founding of The United Nations by Stephen
Schlesinger (No liberal that)

To call for the abolition of the UN because “it doesn’t work”, makes as much sense as calling for the abolition of criminal law because there is still crime.

DavidL . . . UN charter part of the Constitution . . . NUTS Dave . . . . just NUTS . . .
The UN is a group of 190 odd countries . . . the vast majority of them are despots and dictators . . . is a worthless organization, and must be abandoned by Freedom Loving Democracies around the world.

In response to DavedL:
Treaties agreed to by the US, including the UN Charter, do NOT become part of the Constitution. While I agree that Article VI of the Constitution asserts the supremacy of US Treaties over State law, it does not give the Treaty equal status to the Constitution itself. If you read Article VI more carefully you will see that it specifically states, “…anything in the constitution … notwithstanding”. In addition, numerous Federal cases have established judicial precedence in support of an interpretation of Article VI that gives the Constitution itself supremacy over any treaty.

Wait,don’t tell me DavidL, you’re jewish, it explains much regarding your views. Israel is ready to fight right down to the last American. My only wish is that we make them go it alone. Lets see how brave those little sissys are then. In the mean time, go ahead and keep killing unarmed palestinians with F16s you miserable cowards. The only fight you could win is against an unarmed opponent.

DavidL and your point would be? Article One, Section 8 of the constitution also says Congress shall have the power “To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;”

The War Powers Resolution was not only passed by Congress but 2/3 of Congress voted to override Nixon’s veto of the resolution. At what point to be decide that we no longer need the “Checks & Balances” that our founding fathers provided for us?

I heard somebody say this:

Its almost time to stop looking for topics and start looking for Targets

Im non-violent, but will do my duty when called.

Laus Deo
Semper Fi

Unfortunately for many reading and writing on this site, they do not understand the issues being raised by this article and the Sessions video. I am not bothered one bit by the “concern” being raised by Sessions. I am, though, very concerned about his ignorance. As an elected representative of our country, he sure as heck should know better. Here is what he does not understand or, for self-serving political reasons, is pretending not to understand.

1. Except in the case of an actual or imminent attack, no nation can start or threaten to start, a war. Why? Because under the United Nations Charter war is illegal. The UN is a ratified treaty of the US and included in our fundamental (Constitutional) law under Article VI entitled The Supremacy Cause. We have a legal and moral obligation to comply, in letter and spirit, with our legal commitments and obligations.

2. When can a nation resort to war other than in self-defense? Only if it has legal authority under international law to do so. In most cases, that authority will come from the UN Security Council of which the US is a voting member and possess the power to veto any action by the Security Council. We do not lose any power or sovereignty as Sessions is attempting to scare people about here.

3. Article 51 of the UN Charter recognizes, as inherent, the right of a people, a nation, to resort to war in self-defense. It parallels domestic law where an individual may resort to deadly force if that individual believes his or her life is in imminent danger.

4. If we are about to be attacked by a nuclear weapon, does the President have the time to first get permission from a Congressional declaration of war to respond? Enter the rationale for the regulated President’s War Powers. The answer, especially in our nuclear age, is that the President may not have the time to ask Congress before he or she needs to defend our nation with a response.

5. I repeat. Unless in self-defense, no nation can go to war without authority under international law. That is the point that the Secretary of Defense is, unsuccessfully, attempting to explain to a lawyer and elected member of Congress in the video. Senator Sessions is an embarrassment to himself and to our country.

i agree with everything you said. I was trying to make the same point without having the facts that you laid out to back it up.

Sessions should look stunned. He’s beginning to realize that Obama is making Congress irrelevent.

David L, I say we break the treaty and tell the UN to shove it! This is The United States of America and we have our own Constitution!!!

DavidL would turn America over the the UN, based on communism, the most corrupt body ever known to exist, run by satanists responsible for millions upon millions of deaths around the world.

No thanks DaveL the commi, the UN is not my choice for government.

Laus Deo
Semper Fi

The United Nations is an organization that was set up by the Leaders for the Leaders. They do not represent the people of America.
What amazes me is that Liberals, like DavidL, who quite often argue that we are a Democracy (really we’re a Republic) and how important it is for the people to have a vote, can turn around and relinquish our Sovereignty to an organization set up to serve self-interested Leaders and whose representatives aren’t even elected by the people.
Remember that our own Federal Government has greatly trampled the Constitution in their quest for Absolute Power, so why would anybody think the UN won’t do the same if we don’t stop them? The further that Government gets from the people they supposedly represent, the harder it is to stop them from usurping their Power.

Read this and help to get us out of the UN!
http://community.mises.org/wilseyrocket/2011/05/17/scarey-document-new-world-order/

DavidL you are the one that is clueless. SECDEF was saying he did not need permission to go to war only UN permission. Our constitution says only congress can authorize war except in defense of the country. Attacking Syria is not self defense of the coutry so requires congress to approve NOT the UN. DAVIDL you are an obvious troll for the globalist and are a traitor to this country.

DaveH, the federal government is just an illusion. It’s a shill for the UN.

In response to DavidL:
It should be noted that treaties may not preempt the Constitution. Article VI specifically says, “This Constitution, …and all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land; … anything in the constitution … notwithstanding”. Thus a NATO directive to go to war in Libya does not obviate the Constitution’s requirement for Congressional approval to do so, nor can a UN requirement to not go into a war prevent the US Congress from approving a US Presidents request to declare a war.
This interpretation is supported by judicial precedent. From Wikipedia: “There has been some debate as to whether or not some of the basic principles of the United States Constitution, such as the country’s system of government or Bill of Rights, could be affected by an ambitious treaty. In the 1950s, a Constitutional Amendment known as the Bricker Amendment was proposed in response to such fears. This proposed amendment would have mandated that all American treaties shall not conflict with the manifest powers granted to the Federal Government. Subsequent Federal court cases such as Seery v. United States, 127 F. Supp. 601 (Court of Claims, 1955), Diggs v. Schultz, 470 F.2d 461 (1972), and Reid v. Covert, 354 U.S. 1 (1957) have, over the course of time, established in legal decisions most of the limitations that had been proposed by the Bricker Amendment.[6][7][8]

So now we need only the ok from the UN to go to war ? What a total load of horse hockey! Since the death of Dag Hammershold in the late 1950′s the UN has been a worthless organization incapable of preventing wars and conflicts anywhere they set foot and or decided to meddle . Basicly , in the past 60 years the UN has become a sounding board for the Communist and repressive Dictators of the world and Third World Countries who wish to hold the rest of the world hostage . And now they allow terrorist organizations to have a voice dispite their continued terror activities .

And just think , we the taxpayers of the United States get to pay for their deluxe offices in New York City . If the United States was smart , if the current White House had any guts and or brains , they would either start collecting rent or kick the UN out of the country . I would like to see just how long it lasts without our subsidies !

@ DavidL First, Nobody realy cares what the UN says. Without us the UN has no teeth. Second, this article is not about the UN it is about our constitution which in this country is supreme over UN and any other laws. It says that The power to authorize war lies with congress NOT the President. This Jerk in the White House has no clue what the constitution says nor does he care if he does not like it he simply ignores it or over rides it at will.If he was half the leader he should be he would be putting the constitution before anything else. If the UN does not like it then We shold keep the money we spend on them and send them packing let the 3rd world fund them since they run it anyway. I can find much better use for that money right here in the US same with all the aid we send to these foriegn countries that are looking to stab us in the back at every oppotunity. that would almost solve our debit in a few short years.

DavidL,
Yes we have a right to defend ourselves in the event we are being attacked and no, the President does not have to seek congressional permission in that case. However, we are not under attack here. We are seeking to go into another country and assist. And before we do that, our President has a responsibility to seek congressional approval prior to seeking international approval which is the point Sessions is trying to make. Congress was set up to prevent any one person (the President) from running amok and ruling like a king. This is a Democracy and therefore set up so as to function by seeking the wisdom of many before such a major decision is made. You know, like offering up the lives of our children for another country. And what I hear from the Obama administration is, ‘I’ll do whatever I want’. His authority is limited just like the Supreme courts powers are limited in such that congress has just as much authority as the Supreme court to make a decision. But this administration has handed over all authority to the Supreme court as if they were god. This administration is way out of balance and leading this country down the wrong road.

DavidL: It is you who does not understand the issues raised by the discussion in this video. There is a little matter of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that is being ignored by Obama, Panetta, and the Joint Chiefs.”The Congress shall have Power…To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;” There is no similar power granted to the President, as even his role as Commander in Chief of the military is limited to “when called into the actual Service of the United States;” The very idea that Obama and his staff think they may take war-like actions without specific Congressional approval is an abomination (or should I say Obamanation) to the Constitution.

“1. ….The UN is a ratified treaty of the US and included in our fundamental (Constitutional) law under Article VI entitled The Supremacy Cause. We have a legal and moral obligation to comply, in letter and spirit, with our legal commitments and obligations.”

Except where that commitment or obligation conflicts with the Constitution itself.

“2. When can a nation resort to war other than in self-defense? Only if it has legal authority under international law to do so.”

Yet, as you just said, “1. Except in the case of an actual or imminent attack, no nation can start or threaten to start, a war. Because under the United Nations Charter war is illegal.”

“2…. In most cases, that authority will come from the UN Security Council of which the US is a voting member and possess the power to veto any action by the Security Council. We do not lose any power or sovereignty as Sessions is attempting to scare people about here.”

So even though you conclude that the UN Charter makes war illegal for any country other than as defense against direct attack, you go on to say that this same UN can say it’s ok to go against its own ‘rules’.

“5. …..That is the point that the Secretary of Defense is, unsuccessfully, attempting to explain to a lawyer and elected member of Congress in the video.”

And then you assume to know what the Secretary of Defense is “unsuccessfully” attempting to tell ‘us’, when it is quite clear from the video the Secretary of Defense is saying that UN approval would be sought for FIRST before congress. Since we are not actually being attacked, would it not be pertinent to FIRST get approval from Congress (the representatives of the people) in accordance with the Constitution BEFORE seeking UN approval? The Secretary of Defense is clearly saying the President has the ability to unilaterally take engage our military in an OFFENSIVE war with international approval over Congressional approval.

DavidL, you are an embarrassment to yourself.

I’m liking you, Warrior. Proud of you, and I ain’t no rookie. Despite my destruction of the King’s English, it’s fun to toy with the liberal Left with my less-than-erudite diction.

The Vet

To Ted Bayer,

I absolutely agree that the President should consult Congress either just before or immediately after the start of hostilities as provided under the War Powers Act. I never argued otherwise.

We have more oil & natural resources than any other country in the WORLD, but our communist government prevents us from developing them! We need a serious awakening of our independent & sovereign spirit! For love of country…..

If we had a socialist government they would nationalize the oil and all natural resources. Right now we produce more oil than we did at anytime in our history, our usage is 1/2 what it was eight years ago. Guess what the oil is owned by multinational who sell it to China , where they get the most for it. Oil price is set by OPEC and the world market , so even though we produce oil we are not allowed to buy it , but are forced to go on the world market. Produce 10 times more oil and it would be the same because big oil go where they get the most money. Its the Fee Market at work, remember. Just like the free market is at work when company move our jobs over seas where they get slave labor, ppay no benefits and have no environmental constraints. To top it off they park they money in offshore accounts and the republicans vote them a tax cut.

You have no understanding or wisdom, whatsoever Delroy Brown. If we were able to drill & develop our own natural resources, we could be energy & financially independent. THINK about it.

It does not work like that. The oil is owned by multinationals like Bp, Shell etc. They put the oil produced on the world market or where they can get the most for it. Its the Free Market at work. Most of the oil conglomerates are multinationals. We cant force them to sell here. Therefore we import while they export. Goy it.