Balkinization  

Friday, November 02, 2007

The Obama Resolution on Iran

Marty Lederman

can be found here. It would provide that nothing in the force authorization for Iraq, "or any other provision of law," shall be construed to authorize, encourage, or in any way address the use of the Armed Forces of the United States against Iran."

It's very good, as far as it goes. The problem, of course, is that it would be vetoed by President Bush. (And even if it were to become law over his veto, you can be sure Bush would not hesitate to invoke an asserted constitutional authority to use the Armed Forces in Iran, even though, depending on the circumstances, there'd be a very serious constitutional question whether he has such authority. The Obama Resolution does not purport (not expressly, anyway) to restrict the President's constitutional authority, whatever that authority might be.)

Comments:

"It would provide that nothing in the force authorization for Iraq, "or any other provision of law," shall be construed to authorize, encourage, or in any way address the use of the Armed Forces of the United States against Iran."


"In any way address"? Is that really what they want to say here?

After Bush has gone ahead and started a war with Iran, based on his alleged Article II authority, I can see a future Supreme Court decision that rules that no U.S. laws banning torture apply to Iran because Congress had quite clearly stated that no legal provision "in any way" addresses the use of force in Iran.
 

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