If Trump felt beholden to congress, he would not have gotten approval. He would have had to spend years spreading propaganda and trying to build up a case, like Bush did. All that effort might have prevented him from doing it at all.

Didn't stop Bush did it?

More importantly, doing this is trying to peel off people who might waver because Maduro is unsympathetic

Saddam was even less sympathetic but the Iraq war was still wrong. Most of the US understands that. It's bipartisan amongst the populace at this point. Call it Jungle Iraq. Your son is going to die for oil... again. That'll alarm people way more than the bazillionth instance of presidential over-reach.

[–] SanctimoniousApe@lemmings.world 11 points 1 week ago

Bush had the "advantage" of 9/11 happening during his first year in office, shocking what was at the time still mostly a relatively sane country (compared to today). We were (theoretically) attacked first, so that gave DUHbya all sorts of popular support for a response in kind. Not the case here.

You're right regarding what people will actually care about, tho.