[Eagle Eye]

I disagree. There has been a resolution which authorizes use of military force, but that is a far cry from a Declaration of War. Many other military (mis)adventures have been 'authorized' by the War Powers Act, an act that has been criticized from Day 1 as being an abrogation of Congressional responsibility. If the Founders had wanted the President to be able to wage war without a declaration, then they would have provided a means for it. I don't see that they did. The War Powers Act was a means of shortcutting the Constitution and forgetting what Washington said aobut foreign entanglements.

The Resolution is purposely ambiguous. It grants permission for the President to do whatever he wants to do if he simply says it is related to 911. Yet Congress intentionally did NOT declare war on anybody. They could have used the verbiage if they had chosen to do so, but they did not.

If Congress had intended to be upfront, clear, honest, and unambiguous, they would have declared war instead of granting carte blanche to the CiC.

In your reasoning, we have been at war since LBJ declared War on Poverty in the 1960's. Congress has certainly passed numerous laws and resolutions to fund and support a WoP, and we have not declared victory.

[mrsmith]

"If the Founders had wanted the President to be able to wage war without a declaration, then they would have provided a means for it. "

Founders Adams and Jefferson both waged wars without 'Declarations of War'.

You have a better understanding of what the Founders wanted than the Founders?