Something else, concerning  the power of the purse. 

In 1798, Congress had to appropriate money to pay for the cutting down of trees from which ships were to be built.  In the 21st Century, Congress appropriates money, on a regular basis, for all kinds of state-of-the-art force-projection systems, which enable us to strike were we deem it necessary in days, hours or minutes.

Ships, aircraft, missiles, carrier battle groups and amphibious task forces, constantly on station–all these things are paid for in advance, with the understanding that they are to be used.

Even if the War Powers Act is constitutional, which is questionable, that act lets the President commence action without specific advance Congressional authorization. 

We may and should study and discuss these requirements in appropriate professional and academic settings.

What we should not do, ever, is tell the enemy, in advance, what laws we deem applicable to his situation, nor what he may expect from us. It is a long-standing military maxim that he who defends everywhere, defends nowhere. The opponent’s uncertainty is our force-multiplier. Rather let the enemy say of us that he never knew what the Americans would do, but that he knew it would be bad.  

If we publicize anything as to our standards for our targeting decisions, let it be deception.  Let the enemy think we are coming at the Pas-de-Calais, and not Normandy.  May he think we are coming ashore at Basra, while we are sweeping into his flanks ashore.  Let him think that he is safe lurking behind this or that protected place or persons when he is not.

selfish short-sightedness of a generation

Pot, meet kettle.

Your generation is a primary source of those problems, and often actively prevents us from exploring alternatives.

Yes, because before the baby boomers the world was eden, then *boom*, in the 70s when THEY became adults the world went to hell.

Myopia is one of the problems that need to be identified, methinks.

Your efforts are, if you have done what you say you have done, commendable. However, exceptions to the norm do not disprove the norm. Not all dogs act the same, but we feel comfortable generalizing about the behaviors of dogs. Some airplanes perform differently from others, but we can nevertheless generalize about the features and functions of airplanes. The same goes for Baby Boomers.

We can only begin to fix things after identifying the problems. Your generation is a primary source of those problems, and often actively prevents us from exploring alternatives.

No.  He was definitely, in his own words, involved in the recruitment and indoctrination of combatants arraying against us in a war declared and authorized by congress per the constitution.  No lawyers need be consulted before such persons are expeditiously killed by military means, no more so than one need be consulted before a rifleman fires on an enemy soldier.

If it’s one guy at the top causing the trouble, voting him or her out might work. If it’s systemic trouble, it can’t work. Obama has continued the worst of Bush’s war crimes, so it hasn’t worked lately.

In most cases, it’s better to work outside the ballot box: food not bombs, supporting foreclosed-on families, boycotting the most exploitative businesses, and sit-ins at them, raising awareness for invisible and invisiblized minorities, and so on.

Where…where should I stand? Here? Cool.

While it’s doubtful he will win, he certainly has raised these questions

If you don’t vote, it could be argued that you’re part of the reason why there isn’t someone better at the helm, but in the toxic electoral system of the US, I can understand that some people just give up.

But if you want change, you need to get up, organize, and get enough like-minded people to vote someone else into office.

You people need to break out of that toxic two-party system.

http://www.whale.to/b/sp/blood.html