Question

In march of 2011, then-president barack obama ordered american military forces to initiate operation odyssey dawn. this military operation was conducted in concert with our allies from the north atlantic treaty organization (nato) in order to prevent the libyan military, under the command of then-libyan dictator muammar gadaffi, from committing war crimes against opposition forces in the country. however, president obama never received approval from the united states congress for such action. more recently, in april of 2018, then-president donald trump, in concert with the military forces of the united kingdom and france, conducted a series of missile and air strikes on targets in syria. these targets, related to syria's chemical weapons program, were struck in response to the syrian government's use of chemical weapons on civilians earlier that month. they possession and use of chemical weapons is prohibited under international law. however, as with the case of president obama, president trump did not receive congressional approval for this military action. the question posed to you for this module's discussion board thread is as follows:

Was the president of the united states correct to intervene in either (or both) of these situations?

Answer 1

There is no one-sized-fits-all answer to this question as it depends on personal opinions and values. In general, the president of the United States acts as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces and has the authority to order military action, but they must also abide by the Constitution and laws of the United States. As for the specific cases mentioned, the use of chemical weapons is a violation of international laws and human rights, and there is a moral imperative to prevent their use. However, the decision to intervene militarily is a complex one and requires a careful consideration of the potential consequences, including the possibility of unintended collateral damage. Ultimately, the president must weigh the risks and benefits, and make a decision based on their best judgment and the interests of the United States and the international community.