You no speaka the english? Since when does "consult" mean the same as "get approval"? You guys sure play loose with the facts when it suits your twisted agenda.
"Despite the go-ahead from his legal advisers, administration officials said the president has not ruled out seeking lawmakers' approval if he decides to attack Iraq."
Fleischer said that "in all cases, the president will consult with the Congress because Congress has an important role to play."
He did not say whether such consultation would include a congressional vote approving military action, as was done before the Gulf War in 1991.
"The president has taken the advice of many of us in Congress; he wants input from Congress," [Tom] DeLay said. "And he has said he's going to come to Congress when he decides what needs to be done and when it needs to be done. And I expect him to do that."
So why all the hype...a decision has NOT been made yet on how or when to attack, much less whether Congressional approval will be sought, regardless of what the Bush bashers in the media are SPECULATING. That's right...PURE SPECULATION.
And just in case you don't know the law, Congress passed the War Powers Act in 1973 which requires the president to consult with Congress before deploying the military in "hostilities" and to notify Congress of troop commitments within 48 hours of deployment. The president also must end military action within 60 days unless Congress declares war or grants an extension to the armed forces.
So the "how and when" factors which HAVE NOT been decided yet will play a big factor in whether Congressional approval is needed or sought. The media hype on the issue is just that...hype, speculation...what ever you want to call it, is disengenous...ever hear the saying about "ASS-U-ME"?