A new panel will debate whether Congress or the president has the constitutional power to wage war, The Wall Street Journal's 'Washington Wire' blog reports.
"The newly launched National War Powers Commission will be chaired by former Secretary of State James Baker, fresh off leading the Iraq Study Group, along with another former top diplomat, Warren Christopher," reports Neil King, Jr. for the 'Wire.' "The panel enter a debate almost as old as the republic, but also one that is particularly salient now as Democrats in Congress ponder whether to curtail funding for the Iraq war or even to repeal the 2002 measure authorizing it."
The commission has been assembled by the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia and is reportedly receiving no federal funding.
"The Commission's principal goal is to produce a bipartisan report that makes recommendations about how Presidents and Congresses could best exercise their respective war powers," said a Miller Center press release. "The Commission's recommendations will be entirely prospective in nature and not applicable to the present presidential Administration or present Congress."
The text of the Miller Center press release follows. The 'Washington Wire' item is available in full here.
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2007/New_commission_to_debate_war_powers_0228.html
