Secret Order Lets U.S. Raid Al Qaeda in Many Countries

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/10/washington/10military.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin

- Hide quoted text -

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: barry levine <levinebar@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 10:07 AM
Subject: Secret Order Lets U.S. Raid Al Qaeda in Many Countries
To: letters@nytimes.com


To the Editor:

   On December 8th, 1941 president Franklin Delano Roosevelt asked Congress for a declaration of war in response to the attack on Pearl Harbor and Congress gave it to him, pretty much as the framers of our Constitution envisioned. That system hasn't worked since. Twice Congress has tried to delegate its role to the President, although it is not clear that that is constitutionally permissible. Now, by secret order, this administration has sought to delegate the decision to make military raids on countries with whom we are at peace to a mere appointee of the Executive. This violates both our Constitution and our treaty obligations. The incoming administration has much to repair. The balance of powers between Executive and Legislative has to be high on the list.

Barry Levine