Post-2035 won't Chinese society be facing massive economic issues as a result of their demographics? What is the realistic timeframe for a Chinese invasion, should they choose. I know they were given the famous 2027 deadline to be ready, but what is actually practical? Even if it is more assured, will they have the capacity to wage a costly war, when they are experiencing economic setbacks and all sorts of societal problems from not having a lot of young people? 10 years for Taiwan to continue to prep is also a hazard.
Xi Jinping will be in his 80s in 2035, do you think he will retain power that long?
I get that you’ve watched Schoolhouse Rock, but your take is too basic. I’m talking about how the U.S. actually wages war, not a classroom version. The president has all the practical power to wage war, not congress. There is a reason he is called the Commander-in-Chief.
For the War Powers Act, most Presidents ignore it. The law says that the President must notify congress within 48 hours of deployment and that troops must be withdrawn within 60 days without congressional approval. Yet Clinton in Kosovo, Obama in Libya, and Regan in Lebanon & Grenada all violated the WPA. I was wrong about Trump, by the way, his actions in Syria also violated these limits. None of the above faced any consequences. If Presidents routinely disregard restrictions on military action, why would they suddenly obey a demand to start a war?
Congressional authorization is mostly a formality. Presidents don’t wait for Congress - they deploy forces under vague justifications, create facts on the ground, and put lawmakers in a position where refusing authorization means abandoning troops mid-operation, which is politically impossible. For example George HW Bush in the 1991 Gulf War who had over half a million troops lined up on the border of Iraq and invaded in less than 5 days after Congress formally granted approval. In reality, Congress doesn’t decide when the U.S. goes to war - it rubber-stamps conflicts already in motion.
Now, let’s say Congress did authorize war against the White House’s wishes - the President could delay, stall, or execute it on his terms against Congressional intent. Congress controls funding, sure, but signing off on a war budget doesn’t force the President to act. A full-scale conflict, especially against China or Russia, requires more than just funding - it needs strategy, troop movements, and operational decisions that only the Commander-in-Chief can make. Also, there’s no legal mechanism to compel a President beyond political pressure or impeachment, and impeachment has never removed a president.
And to be clear - Congress has zero authority to deploy or command the military. This isn't some feel good will of the people thing. If a President refuses to escalate a conflict, Congress can’t force the troops to move.
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