Never happen with a republican president, like Reagan.
Hello Iran-Contra
Not an apples to apples situation as below it shows that US forces are engaged in direct combat operations while Iran-Contra was a diversion of money. Two very different things
The American campaign in Yemen is led by the Pentagon’s Joint Special Operations Command, and is closely coordinated with the Central Intelligence Agency. Teams of American military and intelligence operatives have a command post in Sana, the Yemeni capital, to track intelligence about militants in Yemen and plot future strikes.
President Obama as Commander-In-Chief has initiated yet another incursion into another nations affair without a declaration as required by the COTUS and it's supporting legislation known as the War Powers Act. To date, acting as Commander in Chief President Obama has put American Men and Women in harm's way without the advice and consent of Congress.
BushI and II went before Congress prior to entering into a protracted war. Both Reagan & Clinton exercised their authority as Commander in Chief in there responses to Libya and Sudan respectively as the responses were time sensitive and of short duration as was the hit on OBL. All three were appropriate use of Presidential authority.
Everybody always accuses the Republicans as being a bunch of rich white war mongers so here is a list of wars/conflicts/police/actions, the year and the party of the then sitting President.
1912 - Marines in Nicaragua - Wilson - Democrat
1917 - US Enters WWI - Wilson - Democrat
United States occupation of Haiti 1915–1934 - Wilson - Democrat
1917–22 – Cuba - Wilson - Democrat
1941–45 – World War II - FDR - Democrat
1950–53 – Korean War - Truman - Democrat
1959–75 – Vietnam War. US military advisers had been in South Vietnam for a decade, After citing what he termed were attacks on US destroyers in the Tonkin Gulf, President Johnson asked in August 1964 for a resolution expressing US determination to support freedom and protect peace in Southeast Asia. Congress responded with the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, expressing support for "all necessary measures" the President might take to repel armed attacks against US forces and prevent further aggression. Following this resolution, and following a Communist attack on a US installation in central Vietnam, the United States escalated its participation in the war to a peak of 543,000 military personnel by April 1969 President Johnson was the POTUS who made it into a full blown war. DEMOCRAT. Eisenhower was smart enough not to repeat the same mistake the French did.
1991 – Persian Gulf War. Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. On January 16, 1991, U.S. forces attacked Iraqi forces and military targets in Iraq and Kuwait in conjunction with a coalition of allies and under United Nations Security Council resolutions. Combat operations ended on February 28, 1991 - Bush - Republican
2001 – War in Afghanistan. The War on Terrorism begins with Operation Enduring Freedom. On October 7, 2001, US Armed Forces invade Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks and "begin combat action in Afghanistan against Al Qaeda terrorists and their Taliban supporters." - Bush - Republican
2003-2010 – War in Iraq - Bush - Republican
2011 - Libya. Operation Odyssey Dawn. Obama - Democrat
So if you just include the "Biggies" it appears that the Democrats are the party of war mongers. HOWEVER, what is really of interest to note that the number of times the US has used it's military power since 1913 (Year the Federal Reserve was created) the number of annual incursions is far far greater than any period previous to the Fed's inception. Cause and Effect? Not sure but it does raise an eyebrow when you look at our empire building worldwide under the name of "America's Vital Interests"
