We don't really know if there is a just cause for the Iran War. Confused military personnel do not know why they might die, or for whom they might die. Citizens don't know if their president is acting lawfully or in deadly bad faith and betrayal of his supporters and cabinet.
Under article I, section 8, of the Constitution, it is specifically provided that the Congress shall have the power to make all laws necessary and proper for carrying into execution, not only its own powers but also all other powers vested by the Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any department or officer thereof.
The Constitution limits and restrains the president from reckless conduct.
The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or
(3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
The key point here is that the President can initiate military operations at his discretion—without prior Congressional approval— ONLY in the case of a national emergency created by an attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.
Judge Andrew Napolitano's opinion:
"[T]he 1973 War Powers Resolution, which requires reporting to the Congress within 48 hours of the onset of presidentially initiated military hostilities, contemplates the use of the military when a threat to the U.S. is imminent. This raises two issues.
"First, the Trump administration has not articulated with credibility any imminent threat. The secretary of defense has said, at best, that Iran has ambitions to attack the U.S. one day. That is hardly an imminent threat. An imminent threat must articulate a rational basis rooted in immediacy and grounded in the emergent need to protect U.S. national security. It cannot be speculative.
"Second, the statute requires that the president report in writing the reasons for war to the full Congress so it can approve or disapprove. Trump sent a political diatribe to Congress with no articulation of immediacy, but he did so only after he had his secretary of state report in secret on immediacy to the Gang of Eight — the congressional and intelligence committees’ leadership from both parties.
"But the Gang of Eight is not the Congress. And because these reports were made in secret, the eight recipients of them cannot inform their congressional colleagues or the media or their constituents. What kind of representative government is that? What did the secretary of state tell these eight members of Congress?"
America is still in the dark; frustrated and angry. Even Mr. Trump's base is losing trust in him, feeling increasingly betrayed by their "no new wars" candidate as the war progresses without strategy, clear purpose or coherent communication with the nation.
Polling studies by the 1776 Law Center find that there is an 85% chance Republicans lose the Senate in November, and a 75% chance they will lose the House, and a 65% chance they will lose the presidency in 2028. This would mean an immediate 2027 move by Congress to impeach Mr. Trump for the high crime of using the US Military to commit murder under the color of defensive war.
Mr. Trump loves the "high ratings" of a celebrity and election victories for his legacy. A clean and magnanimous victory over Iran might have provided that. But a two-year quagmire will destroy his legacy, his party, our military and much of the younger generation. And Valerie Jarret will be making policy in 2028.
If the President wanted good "optics" in this imprudent and dangerous war, he would have declared an epic victory immediately after the death of the Ayatollah, pulled American assets home, and arranged the equivalent of a ticker-tape parade for them.
But it has been two full days since the decapitation, and young American bodies are being placed in coffins.
"U.S. missile and air-defense interceptor inventories have been severely drawn down by the relentless pace of recent [Iran] operations, revealing that between defending Israel, Ukraine, and itself, the American military is spread too thin. Replenishing these high-end systems can take over a year, analysts say, because production lines are optimized for peacetime and cannot be surged overnight.
"We know for sure that China is thrilled to see America weakened. They will view Iran as Joe Biden viewed Ukraine: as an opportunity to cripple a global rival (the Russian Federation.) Keep an eye out for headlines about Chinese efforts to prolong this conflict."
-- Tucker Carlson
Maybe, at most, a week long. He expected an immediate regime change and then surrender.
Remember the Sand People? Those primitive Houthis? The US spent $7 billion bombing the Houthis over about 6-7 weeks and failed to degrade the Houthis’ ability to attack with missiles.
The problem with Iran is much worse. This week, the US and Israel may burn through the last offensive and defensive munitions, including interceptors. Will Iran surrender at that point, or escalate with their larger arsenal of missiles?
If you are not praying for Pete Hegseth, you should be.