by Eric Zuesse, The Duran:

In a bold display of the bipartisan determination of the U.S. Congress after 9/11 to lock-in forever the bonanza that the Congress temporarily granted to America’s ‘Defense’ industries (manufacturers of war-weapons, etc.), the proposed congressional Resolution, on July 19th, “On the Amendment (Paul Amdt. No. 222 )”, aiming “To express the sense of Congress that Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty does not supersede the constitutional requirement that Congress declare war before the United States engages in war,” was voted down in the U.S. Senate, by the huge bipartisan margin of 83 Nays to 16 Yeas. All of the 16 Yeas were Republican Senators. However, 32 Republicans, and both of the Senate’s ‘Independent’ Senators (Sanders of Vermont, and King of Maine), also voted Nay — they voted that the U.S. Constitution’s clause which demands a congressional authorization before the U.S. President may send U.S. forces abroad into a war, be nullified if NATO declares war. (For example: if NATO declares war against Russia regarding Ukraine — which COULD happen — then America is automatically at war against Russia, and no congressional authorization is needed in order for the U.S. to immediately launch a nuclear invasion of Russia.)