Rand Paul: The war against the Islamic State is 'now illegal'


A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
Thank you for signing up to TheWeek. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
According to Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), the time when Democrats would resist Republican presidents who were too eager to go to war or who were "too ready to put troops in harm's way without the full consent of the American people" is over.
Now, Paul writes in an opinion piece for The Daily Beast, the tables have turned. Gone are those Democrats "who so vociferously opposed a Republican president's extraconstitutional war-making powers." In are Democrats who refuse to "oppose President Obama's unconstitutional usurpation of war-making powers."
Quoting Yale Professor Bruce Ackerman, Paul declares, "The war against the Islamic State is now illegal," because there has been no Congressional consent for the fighting in the Middle East that continues to be waged.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Obama, Paul says, violated the War Powers Resolution of 1973 by confronting ISIS "hostilities" without obtaining true constitutional authority within 60 days. Obama also failed to end the hostilities within 30 days of not obtaining Congressional approval, which he is required to do, since the U.S. was not under attack at the time.
Paul, who is almost certain to mount a 2016 Republican presidential campaign, asserts his belief that the war against ISIS "must be declared and made valid, or it must be ended."
Paul also calls on all of Congress to act, urging his fellow leaders to halt Obama's other "power grabs," including "unconstitutional executive action on ObamaCare — and his promises to do the same with immigration." Read the whole thing at The Daily Beast.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
Sign up to our 10 Things You Need to Know Today newsletter
A free daily digest of the biggest news stories of the day - and the best features from our website
-
Should you fire your financial adviser? 4 signs it's time to say goodbye.
The Explainer Breakups are never fun, but you have to protect your wallet
By Becca Stanek Published
-
The daily gossip: Man arrested in connection with shooting of Tupac Shakur, an OceanGate movie is in the works, and more
Feature The daily gossip: September 29, 2023
By Brendan Morrow Published
-
What to expect from an El Niño winter
The Explainer Things might be different thanks to this well-known weather phenomenon
By Devika Rao Published
-
Former Philadelphia police officer charged with murder for Eddie Irizarry shooting
Speed Read
By Rafi Schwartz Published
-
How Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio's 22-year sentence compares to other Jan. 6 punishments
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Kansas police raid small-town local newspaper, setting off a press freedoms clash
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ohio voters defeat GOP measure to raise referendum threshold
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Ohio is voting on whether to raise the bar on referendums — and a popular abortion amendment
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Oregon lifts ban on drivers pumping their own gas
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Former Manson follower Leslie Van Houten out of prison after 50 years
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Florida construction and agricultural workforces diminished after new immigration law takes effect
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published