Rep. Dennis Kucinich
U.S. House Representative
Saying No to Permanent Global War
Posted: 05/20/11 03:05 PM ET
The House is expected to vote soon on a bill that hands over to the president Congress' constitutional authority to declare and authorize war, substantially altering the delicate balance of powers that the Founding Fathers envisioned.
The annual reauthorization of the Department of Defense contains unprecedented and dangerous language that gives the president virtually unchecked power to take the country to war and keep us there. This bill significantly undermines the Constitution, the institution of Congress and sets the United States on a path of permanent war.
The Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) declares that the United States is in an armed conflict with not only al Qaeda and the Taliban, but "associated forces" and individuals, organizations and nations that support such forces. The president could then have the full legal authority to send American troops to engage in acts of war anywhere--Yemen, Somalia, Iran, even the United States--without constitutionally required Congressional authorization and, consequently, without any restrictions or oversight from the American people or Congress.More about what this bill would do at........
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rep-dennis-kucinich/saying-no-to-permanent-gl_b_864863.html--------------
Afghanistan and the Economy:
Congressman Dennis Kucinich Interviewed
on MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell ShowWatch Here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUBmaLrzjao&feature=player_embedded