Why make a big deal over a resolution that will most likely be ignored and replaced by the new Republican-led Foreign Relations Committee?  Well, it’s simple: if we don’t understand how AUMFs have been constructed in the past, we won’t be able to evaluate whether Congress and the White House are playing their respective roles under the constitution.  The Washington Post would prefer that Congress simply authorize military force and get out of the way.  History, however, would beg to differ.

Daniel R. DePetris is an analyst at Wikistrat, Inc., a geostrategicconsulting firm, and a freelance researcher. He has also written for CNN.com, Small Wars Journal and The Diplomat. You can follow him on Twitter: @DanDePetris.

Image: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza