Posted on 03/10/2012 9:44:03 AM PST by John Semmens
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta told a Senate Armed Services Committee that the Obama Administration’s decision on whether to engage in military action against Syria is not contingent on Congressional approval.
“The United States is just one of many nations,” Panetta explained. “Even if our Constitution places the power to declare war with Congress this doesn’t override decisions made on a multinational basis. An agreement reached with other nations takes precedence over anything Congress may wish to do.”
The secretary cited the precedent established by the Administration’s actions in Libya. “President Obama acted with the consent of key allies in NATO,” Panetta pointed out. “Everyone agreed that intervention to depose Qaddafi was justified. That intervention was accomplished despite the lack of full Congressional authorization.”
Panetta argued that Congressional failure to impeach President Obama for bypassing its supposed authority “established the precedent that the President may deploy our military forces at his sole discretion on his own authority. Whether he uses his discretion and authority to intervene in Syria is his decision.”
if you missed any of this week's other semi-news posts you can find them at...
http://azconservative.org/2012/03/10/film-biographer-in-awe-of-obama/
The inept, stupid Congress had their one hand shoved in their mouth while the other was shoved up their ass!
Under the war powers act he is correct.
Senator Sessions:
General Dempsey, in one of your criteria for determining what we might do militarily, you say you have to ask the question as to weather the question is worth the cost and is consistent with law and what law. What law does the United States military look to?
General Dempsey:
Yeah, if I could, I would like to address both because they are related. So costs resources risk uncured elsewhere by the use of force, one other place. So, you know it is a zero sum game. We take them from some place else, we use them for how long, and that’s the kind of issue for costs. Is it and in course of (what did Jesse Jackson Say?).
The issue of legal basis is important Though. We act with the authorized use of military force at either the consent of a government, so we are invited in, or, out of national self defense, and there is a very clear criteria for that. And then the last one is with some kind of international legal basis (unintelligible).
Senator Sessions:
Wait a minute, let’s talk about an international legal basis. You answer under the constitution to the United States government, do you not? And, you don’t need any international support before you would carry out a military operation authorized by the Commander in Chief.
General Dempsey:
No, of course not, that’s the second…
Senator Sessions:
I just want to know because there are a lot of references in here to international matters before we can make a decision. And I want to make sure that the United States military, I understand and I know you do, that we are not dependent on a NATO resolution or a U.N. resolution to execute policies consistent with the national security of the United States.
Now secretary Penetta, in your remarks you talk about, we are working first to increase diplomatic isolation and encouraging other countries to join European Union and Arab League and imposing sanctions. And then you note that China and Russia have repeatedly blocked U.N. Security Council from taking action. Are you saying, and is the president taking the position, he would not act if it was in our interest to do so, if the U.N. Security Council did not agree?
Secretary Panetta:
When it comes to the kind of military action where we want to build a coalition and work with our international partners, then obviously we would like to have some kind of legal basis on which to do it as we did in Libya.
Senator Sessions:
Now, some for legal basis, we’re worried about international legal basis, but nobody worried about the fundamental constitutional legal basis that this congress has over war. We were not asked in stunningly direct violation of War Powers Act whether or not you believe it is constitutional, it certainly didn’t comply with it. We spent our time worrying the U.N., the Arab League, NATO, and too little time in my opinion worrying about the elected representatives of the United States.
Do you think you can act without congress to initiate a no-fly zone in Syria without congressional approval?
Secretary Panetta:
No, again, our goal would be to seek international permission and we would come to congress and inform you and determine how best to approach this, whether or not we want to get permission from congress, I think those are issues we would have to discuss as we decide what to do here.
Senator Sessions:
Well, I’m almost breathless about that, because what I heard you say here is, we’re going to seek international approval and then we will come and tell congress what we might do, and we might seek congressional approval. I want to just say to you, that’s a big, wouldn’t you agree, you served in the congress, wouldn’t you agree that that’s would be pretty breathtaking to the average American. So would you like to clarify that.
Secretary Panetta:
But I’ve also served with Republican presidents and Democratic presidents who has always reserved to right to defend this country if necessary.
Senator Sessions:
But you, before we do this, you would seek permission from international authorities?
Secretary Panetta:
If we’re working with international coalition, we are working with NATO, we would want to get appropriate permissions in order to be able to do that. All of these countries would want to have some kind of legal basis to act.
Senator Sessions:
On what legal basis are you looking for? What entity?
Secretary Panetta:
Well obviously, if NATO made the decision to go in, that would be one, if we develop an international coalition beyond NATO, then obviously some kind of U.N. Security resolution …
Senator Sessions:
A coalition of, so your saying NATO would give you a legal basis and an ad hock coalition of nations would provide a legal basis.
Secretary Panetta:
If we were able to put together a coalition and were able to move together, then obviously we would seek whatever legal basis we need to make that justified. We can’t just pull them all together in a combat operation without getting the legal basis on which to act.
Senator Sessions:
Who are you asking for the legal basis from?
Secretary Panetta:
Obviously if the U.N. passed a security resolution as it did in Libya, we would do that, if NATO came together as we did in Bosnia, then we would rely on that. So we have options here if we want to build the kind of international approach to dealing with the situation.
Senator Sessions:
Well, I’m all for having international support, but I’m really baffled by an idea that somehow an international assembly provides a legal basis for the United States military to be deployed in combat. I don’t believe its close to being correct. It provides no legal authority. The only legal authority that is required to deploy the United States military is of the congress and the president and the law of the Constitution.
Secretary Panetta:
Let me just for the record be clear again. Senator, so there is no misunderstanding, When it comes to the national defense of this country, the President of the United States has the authority under the constitution to act to defend this country. And we will. If it comes to an operation where we are trying to build a coalition of nations to work together to go in and operate as we did in Libya, or Bosnia, or for that matter, Afghanistan, we want to do it with permissions either by NATO or the international community
“Secretary Panetta:
Let me just for the record be clear again. Senator, so there is no misunderstanding, When it comes to the national defense of this country, the President of the United States has the authority under the constitution to act to defend this country. And we will. If it comes to an operation where we are trying to build a coalition of nations to work together to go in and operate as we did in Libya, or Bosnia, or for that matter, Afghanistan, we want to do it with permissions either by NATO or the international community”
Notice who he left out of the equation? Us!
“
““The United States is just one of many nations,” Panetta explained.”
And you represent OURS, you POS!
Glenn Beck talked about this for the longest time — Congress becoming irrelevant. Congress can’t be much more irrelevant than this...
In one of the most obscene videos I’ve ever seen Leon Panetta, Secretary of Defense, takes orders from the world government.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5zNwOeyuG84&feature=player_embedded
Congress is ALLOWING Obama and his 44 thugs, to run roughshod over them. They are far from blameless in this whole thing.
Right on...and the way I read Panetta’s testimony this is not satire, or semi-satire....its the way the powers that be think things are.....Congress, where are you?
The only thing members of Congress are worried about is raising more money for their campaigns.
“this doesn’t override decisions made on a multinational basis. “
If I were Congress I wold immediately impeach that SOB. No other nation can grant the president war powers. He is using the teenager excuse, “But gosh, dad, EVERYBODY is doing it!”
Constitution? What Constitution?
She came out of the meeting with new knowledge ~ the Panetta has a ring, which she kissed, and he can command respect from the cappos, and even the cappos di tutti cappo.
He is THE MAN
For understanding how this insanity has been sold to Americans, World Government & Surrender By Subterfuge.
Two generations have been brainwashed into thinking that Americans are not unique; that nations really do not represent unique peoples. In that folly, it is not difficult to get to the idea of going along with the crowd of interchangeable folk. That that is a gargantuan fantasy is lost in indoctrination. And here that indoctrination is even imagined to give the Government powers the Constitution never intended--powers that simply do not therefore exist.
William Flax
The House of Representatives controls the "purse strings" and if they chose not to fund the operation Barky is SOL.
Regards,
GtG
After the first thirty days of running on his "contingency" funds.
G
Does it come down to Alabama’s gallant Sessions being the only one asking the real questions? I wish he were president!
” He is THE MAN “
Not OUR man!
Well not our man of course, but he is a “made man” ~ and Nancy isn’t.
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