George H. W. Bush Quotes

Allow the President to invade a neighboring nation, whenever he shall deem it necessary to repel an invasion … and you allow him to make war at pleasure. … If today he thinks it necessary to invade Canada to prevent the British from invading us, how could you stop him? You may see no probability he would say to you, “Be silent!, I see if you don’t.”

It is not patriotic to commit young Americans to war unless our national security clearly requires it.

The power to make war is vested in Congress and not in the President. Congress has no constitutional authority to grant such authority to the president.

The question really is what action we take which lessens the chances of a nuclear exchange, which obviously is the final failure…. You have:, A blockade without any declaration of war A blockade with a declaration of war Strikes One, Two and Three We’ve got invasion

Not every Congressionally declared war will be remembered as a “good war”, but few if any Presidentially declared wars, if any, will ever be.

The United States has used force abroad more than 130 times, but has only declared war five times - the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.

The Congress decides when to make war and the President decides how to make war.

We in America should see that no man is ever given, no matter how gradually or how noble and excellent the man, the power to put this country into a war

I think this sets a very bad precedent, the president unilaterally on his own starting war without any consent from Congress

We must not allow any president to unleash the dogs of war at his own discretion and for an unlimited period of time.

Since the 1st World War, U. S. Presidents have 18 times asked the Congress for authority to go to war or use military force. The Presidents have never been turned down by Congress.

During the early Cold War, Truman concluded that inter‐branch deliberations over war and peace were luxuries the country could not afford. The constant threat of Soviet aggression meant that the nation was already at war, and to protect the country, the president had to have the unilateral power to act, with force if necessary, anywhere in the world. Every post‐war president has advanced some version of this claim to justify military action unauthorized by Congress.

That's one of the major lessons: no president should ever take this nation to war without full public debate in the Congress and/or in the public.

We have gone into a war, an unelected president sending us into a war that the Congress frankly had no right, I believe, to authorize.

When the President decides to go to war, he no longer needs a declaration of war from congress.

Most US presidents since World War II have led military actions without a declaration of war by Congress, though most, if not all, have properly consulted and sought support from Congress. That is the wise thing to do.

Declarations of war have never been a constitutional requirement for military action abroad. The United States has used force abroad more than 130 times, but has only declared war five times - the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.

The Constitution is very clear on the - on the declaration of war or reacting to international crimes - crimes against nations. It is the role of Congress to debate and authorize this before the President acts precipitously.

No man has the right to use the great powers of the Presidency to lead the people, indirectly, into war.

Why are American boys dying in a war the President refuses to call a war, yet commits our forces to it?

Without the authority of Congress, the President cannot fire a hostile gun in any case except to repel the attacks of the enemy.

Except in case of attack by armed forces … the people shall have the sole power by a national referendum to declare war or to engage in warfare overseas.

The way I read the Constitution,. the Congress is paid a salary to determine whether we should go to war ... Therefore, I don't think Congress is earning its money.

I knew we were going to get into this sort of a mess when we went in there. And I don’t see how we’re ever going to get out of it without fighting a major war with the Chinese.

We don't declare war any more, we declare national defense.