A few days removed from some very sad news in Iraq that coalition forces may have killed 200 civilians in an airstrike, the New York Times sharpened their pencils in an effort to sure up the never ending fight.  In an editorial, the New York Times Editorial Board decided to take up the United States’ dubious arguments concerning the legitimacy of the war against ISIS.  More specifically, the Editorial Board is concerned that since Congress has not declared war against Syria or ISIS, there could possibly be a finding by an Article III court that the war is illegal.

Instead of taking either President Obama or President Trump to task for fighting an illegal war for years, the Editorial Board blames Congress for allegedly shirking its duty to authorize the war.  Someone should give the Editorial Board a copy of the Constitution.  The war making power lies squarely in the hands of Congress.  Every month the war drags on the dubious nature of its legality is stretched ever further past its breaking point.

I thought that when Donald Trump took office places like the New York Times Editorial Board would open their eyes to their poor decisions in the past.  The New York Times itself helped lead the charge to bring us into the quagmire that is the Iraq War.  Now they are arguing that Congress has a duty to give a legal veneer over the latest Constitutionally infirm effort from our executive branch.  If the Editorial Board feels so strongly that this is a just war and that Congress must authorize the fight, then they should pick up a gun and join the front lines.  The type of insouciant fervor that propels the pen without due regard for the real shrapnel that follows can only be achieved in the highest of ivory towers.

Each time a new report is filed that speaks of the civilian deaths, impoverished migrants, and the fear that the homeland will be attacked, just remember that the New York Times Editorial Board was cheerleading the effort that led to all of these atrocities.  Our country should be weary of war.  People that cover those wars should understand the great human toll our actions have wrought.