The entire goal here is to apply maximum pressure to Iran, normalize relationships with GCC countries and Israel, give the US navy some live action and best down Iranian proxies.
They did go to congress and lie stating there was an imminent threat.
The laws passed post 9/11 ensured we no longer have to send a Colin Powell ever again.
What laws post 9-11 means we don’t have to send a Colin Powell to the UN? I don’t think we ever had a law regarding that, unless I’m mistaken.
The real truth, the US has been in a high grade constitutional crisis since the Korean War with regards to military and and really since FDR’s actions with executive orders. The executive branch has too much power and every POTUS has expanded it since FDR. It needs to be reigned in but no POTUS would ever do that.
Edit: nonsense about needing a strong political party is goofy. We need a strong legislative branch. You can argue it’s the weakest of the three.