Is there any difference between Police Action and War

[Bandit]

IMO We are in a Police Action in Afghanistan and also in Libya.. I don't consider either of those to be real wars..Just because there is gun play doesn't make it a "war"....I am not sure I agree the USA should be the world's policeman but that seems to be what is happening..I know we have been at "war" with poverty and drugs and terror, and ??????? but imo all of those are just word play.. Real "War" is an entirely different matter than anything we have seen at least in the last half century.

[liberal N proud]

1. Bombs drop, bullets fly, people die in both

Don't see any difference

[jdlh8894]

7. Difference is

One means to defend
One means to attack


Supposedly

[mrmpa]

2. 1950 Korea was a police action-but I never recall calling my Dad...

a Korean police action veteran. No difference, same outcomes.

[Recursion]

3. Constitutionally, no

An authorization of force is an authorization of force, though "declaring war" has some diplomatic niceties attached. "Police Action" is a cold war term that I don't recall being used recently.

[WingDinger]

4. Yes, and I would have preferred one in Afghanistan.

Police actions are meant to rectify a wrong, or prevent one, not regime change. They have rules loosely held to and expected by those outside.

[ChoppinBroccoli]

5. Only Congress Can Declare War

Unless and until Congress declares war, any military intervention is known as a Police Action.

[Cyrano]

6. The phrase "police action" is nothing more than a dodge used by

president's who know that they don't have the power to declare war, and that congress won't.

It's nothing more than a short cut around the constitution. The president knows it. The congress knows it. And many citizens know it.

The last time congress declared war was on December 8th, 1941. So I guess that everything that's happened since has been a "police action."