2 ms·

> in war ... including within the US one would think that a formal declaration of war (at least minimally specifying who the US is at war with) would be needed

• dragonwriter 6y ago
  > one would think that a formal declaration of war would be needed The legal existence of a war has established rules in US law, and a Congressional declaration is one way they happen (though not exclusive what you probably mean by a “formal declaration of war”, which suggests magic words). > otherwise anybody can be killed just under umbrella of "War on Terror" or "War on Drugs" or "War on Littering and Jaywalking"... The War on Terror has a legal declaration, which is expressly conditioned only on Presidential determinations, so requiring declarations doesn't actually meaningfully prevent that scenario when Congress is feeling lazy.