US Fights Undeclared Wars: Why Formal Declarations Are Now Rare

• The US rarely declares war officially, even during significant military actions like current strikes on Iran.
• Historically, presidents sought formal declarations from Congress for major conflicts like WWI and WWII.
• The shift began post-WWII with the Korean War, where President Harry Truman deployed troops without a formal declaration, calling it a 'police action'.
• Congress passed the War Powers Resolution in 1973 to limit presidential power, but presidents often treat it as a formality.
• Modern conflicts are often justified under broad authorizations (post-9/11) or commander-in-chief powers, using terms like 'military action' instead of 'war'.