Just wondering. Does Trump have authority to attack Iran?

[Kablooie]

Of course a war is not supposed to be waged without Congress being on board but under the guise of terrorism it seems presidents are free to attack anywhere without approval if they say that are attacking terrorists.

Could Trump use this excuse to order an attack without having Congress shut him down?
I'm sure he wants a nice big wag the dog war to distract from Russia and make it nearly impossible to remove him from office.

He'd get to play soldier too and try out all our death dealing weapons by killing innocent Muslims. What fun!

[sir pball]

1. Absolute and unquestioned, theoretically.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Command_Authority

[dalton99a]

10. +1. And Republicans nominated this crazy asshole to be president

[Ferrets are Cool]

2. He has done ANYTHING he has wanted to do so far, so what is to keep him from

sending nuclear missiles to Iran? I am not being snarky. I haven't seen anyone be able to keep this idiot from doing what he wants. And his deplorable base would love it. We live in scary times.

[SamKnause]

3. Who the fuck will stop him ???

No one !!!

The entire republican party is terrified of Trump !!!!!!!!!!

Trump terrifies them more than Putin's Russia, or Iran's nukes.

They will destroy this country, possibly the world out of fear of losing their jobs.

I have never seen such cowards !!!!!!!!!!!

[Fred Sanders]

8. It is up to the corporate media to decide if we go to war...they have laid the ground work again

by twisting the words of Rouhani.

Remember how they twisted the lead up to Iraq war...how the feverishish propganda led to a place where NOT going to war was...unpatriotic?

Remember the Dixie Chicks?

Again, it is the corporate media essentially lying to us all...war is very profitable for corporate media and their beloved war machine...especially when it comes to Muslims.

[NewJeffCT]

9. The media loves a good war

it's good for ratings. Trump launched a few missiles into Syria a year ago and the media fellated him for a week, and he got a temporary bump in the polls at the time as well.

[no_hypocrisy]

4. Like the tariffs, Trump can make up any excuse like "national security" and send the

bombers over to Tehran to "shake things up". And it isn't so much for Iran's "benefit". It would be to dissuade the other parties to the Iran Agreement to "respect American sanctions".

[ck4829]

5. No, he doesn't.

[Vinca]

6. Considering the powers granted Dubya after 9/11, he probably does.

We sure as hell can't count on the Congress stopping him.

[global1]

7. Trump Can Shoot Iran In The Middle Of 5th Avenue....

at high noon and he'd get away with it. Everything he does - like pussy grabbing, treason, lying with his every utterance - he gets away with. So why not bomb, bomb, bomb - bomb, bomb Iran?

[bigtree]

11. it's all contained within his authority to launch attacks and commit troops without approval

for a number of days before notifying Congress. Loophole in the War Powers Act.

After that initial strike Congress is normally loath to take an opposite tack, or deny approval.

[Autumn]

12. If he decides to go to war he will. Congress will deny him nothing.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. Some (like flakey Flake and Bob "put a cork in it" Corker) may protest

but, stop him? No way!


Frankly, I still think that the odds of war with Iran are significantly less given how much of a disaster Iraq was, although the odds are better than they were before we welshed out on the Iran Nuclear Deal. I think that the idea is that Israel and right-wingers is that we drop a few bombs on their nuclear facilities and call it a day. Of course, Iran will subsequently retaliate and the ME will be lit on fire, which I'm not sure they've factored into their thinking but, of course, there wasn't much foresight on Iraq either, so.......

They obviously aren't really worried that Iran HAS (or is near) nuclear weapons, otherwise they would be less aggressive towards them.

[Bayard]

14. Authority?

"I don't need no stinkin' authority!!"

That would distract from his legal troubles nicely.