Pakistan, July 29 -- If the Constitution were working as designed, and if both political parties acted in the best interests of the nation and weren't obsessed with eviscerating the disloyal opposition, the U.S. skirmish against Iran would have ended. Having promised an immediate victory in what Commander in Chief Donald Trump first called an "excursion," the U.S. has been drawn deeper into what increasingly appears to be an unwinnable quagmire.

So, make no mistake: This is war. But in a war, who has the power to authorise or make a formal declaration of war? Not the president. Only Congress has this responsibility. And it has deserted and fled from its duty.

The Vietnam disaster forced Congress to pass the War Powers Resolution in 1973...