Dwight D. Eisenhower Quotes

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.

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

Since the enactment of the War Powers Act in 1973, which I supported then and support now, Congress has been reluctant to assert its authority when presidents decide to send American soldiers into harm's way.

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

There is going to be no involvement of America in war unless it is the result of the Constitutional process that is placed upon Congress to declare it.

No power but Congress can declare war, but what is the value of this constitutional provision, if the President of his own authority may make such military movements as must bring on war?

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.

No president can easily commit our sons and daughters to war.

Presidents have absolutely gone against the will of Congress. Congress hasn't declared a war since December 7, 1941, and yet we've been at war ever since with somebody or other in order to justify the war machine. Now we have alienated almost the entire earth

Our firm view is that the president has no legal authority, none whatsoever, to commit American troops to war in the Persian Gulf or anywhere else without congressional authorization.

I cannot think of any circumstances in which a government can go to war without the support of parliament.

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.

But do I think that our actions in anyway violate the War Powers Resolution, the answer is no.

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

If Mr. Roosevelt can do what he likes without consulting Congress, and we give him our boys, God alone knows what he will do with them.

We were having problems with the War Powers Act, so I hesitate to use the term war.

I question the Constitutional authority of the President to conscript unwilling Americans and send them abroad without a declaration of war by the Congress.

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.

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.

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.”

President’s don’t have the authority to go to war.

With 450,000 U.S. troops now in Vietnam, it is time that Congress decided whether or not to declare a state of war exists with North Vietnam

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.