Bruce Ackerman and Oona Hathaway write about the Obama administration's failure to even attempt to acquire congressional authorization for military operations in Libya:
Since the House of Representatives is out of session this week, Congress can't approve the operation before the Friday deadline. But under the expedited procedures specified by the act, speedy congressional approval is feasible next week.
If nothing happens, history will say that the War Powers Act was condemned to a quiet death by a president who had solemnly pledged, on the campaign trail, to put an end to indiscriminate warmaking.
True, and deeply frustrating, although Congress' failure to assert its responsibilities is also to blame. The real consequences of this won't be apparent until one of Obama's successors denies needing authorization for involvement in a much larger conflict and cites this administration as precedent.
