President Obama, Intel Photo by Creative Commons

Under privileges granted in the War Powers Resolution, President Obama can commit troops to an armed conflict; yet this may not be in his best interest. 

What is the War Powers Resolution, you may be wondering.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with this controversial piece of legislation, the War Powers Resolution stemmed from the War Powers Act of 1941, and was accepted as law just weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. It was designed to allow the commander-in-chief to send in troops at the drop of a hat—in secret, if necessary. 

In 1973, Congress—overriding a Presidential veto—passed the War Powers Resolution, which now requires the President to notify Congress of his or her actions within forty-eight hours of sending in troops. Furthermore, he or she may only keep them there for up to sixty days without an official declaration of war from Congress. 

The resolution, however, has been violated on several occasions without coming into official legal question. 

Obama could easily follow in the footsteps of past Presidents and exercise his rights under the War Powers Resolution, but instead he is choosing to take a different approach, a decision that I believe is in his best interest. 

Obama’s current approval rating is 44%, the lowest it has been in his entire presidency. By placing the burden of deciding whether or not to fight onto Congress’s shoulders, he ultimately bequeaths some of the responsibility. 

Yet, it is important to consider the tendencies of the 113th Congress as a whole. Since its inception in January, the branch has passed only fifteen bills, making it one of the most unproductive Congresses since the 1940s. 

With such a dire situation at hand, the conflict in Syria would give Congress a chance to step up its game—either by passing a resolution to step into the crisis or by taking a more passive stance.

There is no question that the situation in Syria is horrifying. Whether people are for or against military action in Syria, few can dispute Obama’s wise decision to give the legislative branch the final say. 

Read more Neon Tommy coverage of Syria here.

Contact Contributor Sarah Collins here.