Congress Should have Lived Up to its Charge in the Syrian Affair

 "The Congress shall have Power . . . To declare War." (Article 1, Section 8, Clause 11)
   There is nothing in that to suggest Congress must wait for an invitation from the president to consider war. Our Congress was simply negligent in its duty last week. As soon as the suggestion of a strike against Syria was broached, Congress should have convened and voted.
   You would not have lost the element of surprise. That was already lost when President Trump said there would be retaliation against Syria for using chemical weapons. Nor was there a need to attack so quickly that waiting for a Congressional vote was unreasonable. Indeed, such a short wait did take take place.
   Congress should be stepping to the plate in these situations. It should be proactive. It should be fulfilling its responsibilities.
   Rather than the president's decision, this should have been Congress's decision. And, the president could have  -- and would have -- been bound by what Congress said. Order would have been restored. The ongoing string of times we have gone to war without Congressional approval would have been brought to an end.
   If only Congress had shown the backbone to do its job, the Constitution could have been honored.