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Constitutional FAQ Answer #136

Constitutional FAQ Answer #136

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Q136. “Can the US declare war

in order to free the
people of the country? I heard this once but I don’t know if its true, or if it
was what document did it came out of.”

A. The Congress is given the power to declare war

. There is no limitation or
condition on this power. The Congress can declare war at any time for any
reason it wishes, including to free the people of a country from oppression, or
because we dislike the color of the other nation’s flag. The trick is that
Congress as a body must agree by at least a majority, and that is why
declarations of war are so rare. It is a major task to convince half of both
houses of Congress that a declaration of war is necessary.

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