Panel demands US war power reform

President Bush's decision to send troops to Iraq was very controversial

Two former US secretaries of state have called for a change in the way America goes to war.

James Baker and Warren Christopher want to introduce a new law which would force US presidents to consult Congress before launching military action.

The call is the main conclusion of a 12-month study of war-making powers carried out by a team of constitutional and legal experts.

Their plan will add fuel to the debate about the Iraq war.

'Seat at the table'

At present, the legal process is pocked with grey areas - between the president as commander-in-chief, and Congress, which has the formal power to declare war.

While Tuesday's report is couched in theoretical terms, it will feed the debate about the way President George W Bush launched the war in Iraq.

Although Congress approved a resolution in 2002 granting President Bush the power to send troops to war, the opposition Democrats later argued that the resolution approved only the initial invasion and not the five-year operation that played out subsequently.

The panel recommends the establishment of a new joint House and Senate committee, with access to highly classified information, which would have the power to review the president's justification for war.

"History indicates that presidents and Congresses have often disagreed about their respective roles in the decision to go to war," said Mr Baker.

"This [proposal] gives Congress a seat at the table in deciding whether or not to go to war -- not just a seat at the table but one with a permanent professional staff and access to all the available intelligence information," added Mr Christopher.