Legality, Constitutionality of Bush-s Pre-Emptive War

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President Bush today formally notified Congress that diplomacy has failed to -protect the national security- against -the threat posed by Iraq.- Now, the world waits for the President to designate the -time of his choosing- for the US to begin its -pre-emptive- war. However, as tanks are rolling and bombs are about to fall, the legality of this military action is still being called into question. Is it legal for the United States to make war on Iraq? Press Secretary Ari Fleischer today said it is. We talk about international law, the rules of the United Nations and the US Constitution with journalists, law experts, a former strategic planner for the National Security Council, an advisor to the Reagan and Bush, Sr. administrations, and Democratic Congressman Howard Berman of California.
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President Bush-s ultimatum to Saddam Hussein

US Constitution

Security Council Resolution 1441 (2002)

SC Resolution 687 (1991)

SC Resolution 678 (1990)

British government-s updates on Iraq

Credits

Host:

Warren Olney