The US Constitition WAR Power

Congress and the Presidency jointly exercise the WAR powers under the US Constitution. To DECLARE war; is an action of Congress initiated by the Presidency and conducted by the Commander-in-Chief power. Why the Congress have chosen to assert it [by policy assertion] as a sole power in the appropriations bill, rather cheapens their credibility in the attempt to lessen the Iraqi War. That attempt which should also have avoided fixed dates; and instead require a report back to Congress as to its progress without fixed times would have been a better approach.

This blogger believes that an analysis applied to Iraq as that of an investment analysis (ie. capital induction with sinking fund approach) with specific production and turnaround points would be acceptable to the American people and reduce the crisis of military power application revocation by not using fixed tell-tale time-points. In such an analysis, the President would be required to report specific accomplishments by time "X" with Congress then re-assessign jointly the status of the mission and its future. [cf. Chang-tzu's "Three in the Morning"]. (As a side note, the President's power to receive and appoint Ambassadors is his primary Foreign Relations power beyond his power to conduct affairs of state - which include observing and reporting states of hostilities or war to Congress.)

However; that has been the style of this Congress since January -- whether of Speaker Pelosi or Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Executive functions are the constitutionally granted and limited function of the executive power -- the Presidency. And in the United States, an Executive must come to terms with the deliberative appropriations power in legislation of Congress .. the sole grantee of the Legislative power.