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No, we are not at war with ISIS. Only congress can declare war, and I don't recall such a vote.

by sundaeofshock 11y ago

rhino369 11y ago
Declaring war and being at war aren't necessarily the same thing.
- philovivero 11y ago
  And just making up your own definitions for everything isn't necessarily the most useful way to engage in a conversation.
  - rhino369 11y ago
    I'm being totally serious. I'm not at all convinced that the only way the United States is at war is when Congress declares it. Declarations of war are diplomatic in nature. There is even a theory that declarations of war are unnecessary after an act of war has already been undertaken. Like the USA running a bombing campaign on ISIS.
- VikingCoder 11y ago
  Do you remember the last war that the US declared?
  - rosser 11y ago
    Free hint: my parents weren't even born yet, and I'm at the early end of Generation X.
InclinedPlane 11y ago
Lol, happened ages ago man. We actually are at war with ISIS. Surprise! You see, way back in 2001 just after 9/11 Congress passed a "Authorization for Use of Military Force" (or AUMF) which is constitutionally a declaration of war. That AUMF authorized the use of the armed forces in going after "terrorists" and terrorist organizations who played a role in the attacks or who harbored or aided the groups or individuals who did. In practice it is a sweeping authorization of power which effectively makes most of the world an active battleground and is the legal basis for the US military's use of drones and bombing campaigns in areas from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia. It has been modified, updated, and re-authorized by congresses over time but it is still in effect. We are still at war with "al qaeda" and its cousins and compatriots, which includes ISIS (the organization previously known as "al-qaeda in Iraq"). So there you go. We have actually been at war with ISIS since its inception (which was after 2001).

No, we are not at war with ISIS. Only congress can declare war, and I don't recall such a vote.

rhino369 11y ago

Declaring war and being at war aren't necessarily the same thing.

philovivero 11y ago
And just making up your own definitions for everything isn't necessarily the most useful way to engage in a conversation.
- rhino369 11y ago
  I'm being totally serious. I'm not at all convinced that the only way the United States is at war is when Congress declares it. Declarations of war are diplomatic in nature. There is even a theory that declarations of war are unnecessary after an act of war has already been undertaken. Like the USA running a bombing campaign on ISIS.
VikingCoder 11y ago
Do you remember the last war that the US declared?
- rosser 11y ago
  Free hint: my parents weren't even born yet, and I'm at the early end of Generation X.

InclinedPlane 11y ago

Lol, happened ages ago man. We actually are at war with ISIS. Surprise! You see, way back in 2001 just after 9/11 Congress passed a "Authorization for Use of Military Force" (or AUMF) which is constitutionally a declaration of war. That AUMF authorized the use of the armed forces in going after "terrorists" and terrorist organizations who played a role in the attacks or who harbored or aided the groups or individuals who did. In practice it is a sweeping authorization of power which effectively makes most of the world an active battleground and is the legal basis for the US military's use of drones and bombing campaigns in areas from Pakistan and Afghanistan to Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia. It has been modified, updated, and re-authorized by congresses over time but it is still in effect. We are still at war with "al qaeda" and its cousins and compatriots, which includes ISIS (the organization previously known as "al-qaeda in Iraq"). So there you go. We have actually been at war with ISIS since its inception (which was after 2001).