To say that we have not been at war since 1945 is to engage in semantical hair-splitting that is meaningless and adolescent.
The salient fact is that ever since the dawn of the nuclear age the President of the US has the power to unleash unimaginably destructive military power on his sole authority. That authority is not in the Constitution and the Founders definitely did not want an Executive with so much power, but there it is. Without any say-so from Congress - let alone an act of war - every single president since Truman has had that authority. Obama has it right now. Deal with it.
An act of war is, like its kin the "surrender ceremony," nice to fantasize about, but neither necessary nor likely in the times and circumstances that...
In his Oval Office address Tuesday night announcing the end of combat operations in Iraq, President Obama said "It's time to turn the page" and start focusing on rebuilding the American economy.
That would be fine with me if we could be certain about what was on the next page, or whether the "book," which is about more than just Iraq, was finished. Have you noticed that those who would undermine what has been accomplished in Iraq and who are part of a larger war to conquer the West have not announced they are ready to turn the page and...
With 3,000 American dead three days after 9/11,name me the Congressman who would NOT vote for war.