--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: This country of ours has committed the…" description: "\"This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of aggression without a declaration of war by..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png" --- # This country of ours has committed the most serious act of… ![“This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of aggression without a declaration of war by Congress.” quote by Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png) > “This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of aggression without a declaration of war by Congress.” [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Engaging in war without congressional approval is the gravest aggression in our history. **In simple terms:** War without declaration is a grave aggression. Key Takeaway Demand lawful authority for war. Themes war aggression law democracy Mood critical urgent Type political ethical When to use this quote - political activism - legal reform - public debate Key Concepts constitutional authority ethical war Questions to Reflect On - Is war ever justified without declaration? - How can citizens enforce accountability? A Different Perspective National security concerns may conflict. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aggression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) [Congress](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/congress/) [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Declaration](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration/) [Declaration of war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/declaration-of-war/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Was the Vietnam conflict a war which should have, as a matter of constitutional law, required a declaration of war by Congress?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arlen-specter/was-the-vietnam-conflict-a-war-which-should-have-as-a-matter-of/) [Arlen Specter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arlen-specter/) > [Most US presidents since World War II have led military actions without a declaration of war by Congress, though most, if not all, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-rumsfeld/most-us-presidents-since-world-war-ii-have-led-military-actions/) [Donald Rumsfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-rumsfeld/) > [When the President decides to go to war, he no longer needs a declaration of war from congress.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reich/when-the-president-decides-to-go-to-war-he-no-longer-needs-a/) [Robert Reich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reich/) > [The use of our military in combat should first require declaration of war. I have long called for reinstating the military draft, simply because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-rangel/the-use-of-our-military-in-combat-should-first-require-declaration-of/) [Charles Rangel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-rangel/) > [The reality is the cap-and-trade legislation offered by the Democrats amounts to an economic declaration of war on the Midwest by liberals on Capitol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-reality-is-the-cap-and-trade-legislation-offered-by-the-democrats/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [“Devotional service is more or less a declaration of war against the illusory energy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhup-da/devotional-service-is-more-or-less-a-declaration-of-war-against-the/) [A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-c-bhaktivedanta-swami-prabhup-da/) > [“At the men's end of the table the talk grew more and more animated. The colonel told them that the declaration of war had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/at-the-men-s-end-of-the-table-the-talk-grew-more-and-more-animated/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“Blocking a jab is never yet a declaration of war; it's letting you know that I am aware of your shenanigans.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/don-santo/blocking-a-jab-is-never-yet-a-declaration-of-war-it-s-letting-you/) [DON SANTO](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/don-santo/) > [The twentieth century had dispensed with the formal declaration of war and introduced the fifth column, sabotage, cold war, and war by proxy, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-lem/the-twentieth-century-had-dispensed-with-the-formal-declaration-of/) [Stanislaw Lem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-lem/) > [A bargain is in its very essence a hostile transaction do not all men try to abate the price of all they buy? I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/a-bargain-is-in-its-very-essence-a-hostile-transaction-do-not-all-men/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [Today, war of necessity is used by critics of military action to describe unavoidable response to an attack like that on Pearl Harbor that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/today-war-of-necessity-is-used-by-critics-of-military-action-to/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [If past behavior is any indication, we're in a lot of trouble with Hillary Clinton in the White House, as well, who has promised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-past-behavior-is-any-indication-we-re-in-a-lot-of-trouble-with/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [What is not conservative about saying, 'Don't go to war unless we go to war properly with a full declaration of war and no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/what-is-not-conservative-about-saying-don-t-go-to-war-unless-we-go-to/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [“moment of declaration of war, if there”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-l-shirer/moment-of-declaration-of-war-if-there/) [William L. Shirer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-l-shirer/) > [“The British government in 1807 had issued the “Orders in Council,” which enforced a naval blockade against France, and with a shortage of seamen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-river-editors/the-british-government-in-1807-had-issued-the-orders-in-council-which/) [Charles River Editors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-river-editors/) ## More by Ramsey Clark > [Most faults are not in our Constitution, but in ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/most-faults-are-not-in-our-constitution-but-in-ourselves/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [ How dare Americans allow their government to cause such misery \[in the world\]. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/how-dare-americans-allow-their-government-to-cause-such-misery-in-the/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/turbulence-is-life-force-it-is-opportunity-let-s-love-turbulence-and/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [We're not a democracy. It's a terrible misunderstandin g and a slander to the idea of democracy to call us that. In reality, we're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/we-re-not-a-democracy-it-s-a-terrible-misunderstandin-g-and-a-slander/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [A great many people in this country are worried about law-and-order. And a great many people are worried about justice. But one thing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/a-great-many-people-in-this-country-are-worried-about-law-and-order/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Islam is the only religion that gives dignity to the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/islam-is-the-only-religion-that-gives-dignity-to-the-poor/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Democracy is just a word. You have to give it meaning. The US is not a democracy. Most Americans do not vote. We haven't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/democracy-is-just-a-word-you-have-to-give-it-meaning-the-us-is-not-a/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [The United States is not nearly so concerned that its acts be kept secret from its intended victims as it is that the American…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/the-united-states-is-not-nearly-so-concerned-that-its-acts-be-kept/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [The Christian Church overwhelmingly - there are exceptions - who choose to call Muhammad a terrorist. They could call Jesus a terrorist too. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/the-christian-church-overwhelmingly-there-are-exceptions-who-choose/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Both trials are marred with injustice, both are flawed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/both-trials-are-marred-with-injustice-both-are-flawed/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our history shows that the death penalty has been unjustly imposed, innocents have been killed by the state, effective rehabilitation has been impaired, judicial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-history-shows-that-the-death-penalty-has-been-unjustly-imposed/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our first concern is the security of the lawyers because without security you can't possibly have a fair trial, if trial at all, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-first-concern-is-the-security-of-the-lawyers-because-without/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [There are few better measures of the concern a society has for its individual members and its own well being than the way it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/there-are-few-better-measures-of-the-concern-a-society-has-for-its/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [Our emotions may cry for vengeance in the wake of a horrible crime, but we know that killing the criminal will not undo the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/our-emotions-may-cry-for-vengeance-in-the-wake-of-a-horrible-crime/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) > [It has never happened in history that a nation that has won a war has been held accountable for atrocities committed in preparing for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/it-has-never-happened-in-history-that-a-nation-that-has-won-a-war-has/) [Ramsey Clark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) [Explore all 31 Ramsey Clark quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/) ## More Aggression quotes > [Because of the womb being a central phenomenon in the feminine body, the whole psychology of woman differs: she is non-aggressive, non-inquiring, non-questioning, non-doubting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/because-of-the-womb-being-a-central-phenomenon-in-the-feminine-body/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. That's because I was hurt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-namajunas/i-used-to-fight-with-hate-there-s-been-a-lot-of-aggression-in-my-past/) [Rose Namajunas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-namajunas/) > [We have nothing in our history or position to invite aggression; we have everything to beckon us to the cultivation of relations of peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-have-nothing-in-our-history-or-position-to-invite-aggression-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I take up the standpoint that the tendency to aggression is an innate, independent, instinctual disposition in man, and I come back now to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sigmund-freud/i-take-up-the-standpoint-that-the-tendency-to-aggression-is-an-innate/) [Sigmund Freud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sigmund-freud/) > [Boxing can be so important to young people, it keeps you off the street and you can channel your energy and aggression in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-benn/boxing-can-be-so-important-to-young-people-it-keeps-you-off-the/) [Nigel Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-benn/) > [“That which is of great value cannot be attained through aggression. You will be able to find the mystery of life only if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osho/that-which-is-of-great-value-cannot-be-attained-through-aggression/) [Osho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osho/) > [A society that presumes a norm of violence and celebrates aggression, whether in the subway, on the football field, or in the conduct of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-h-lapham/a-society-that-presumes-a-norm-of-violence-and-celebrates-aggression/) [Lewis H. Lapham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-h-lapham/) > [I can remember watching MTV Cribs - these amazing houses - and looking around my house where there was no carpet on the floors.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bugzy-malone/i-can-remember-watching-mtv-cribs-these-amazing-houses-and-looking/) [Bugzy Malone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bugzy-malone/) > [Nationalism, on my opinion, is nothing more than an idealistic rationalization for militarism and aggression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/nationalism-on-my-opinion-is-nothing-more-than-an-idealistic/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I really like battle ropes. They're so versatile; you can get a terrific workout doing a ton of different exercises with them. My clients…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gunnar-peterson/i-really-like-battle-ropes-they-re-so-versatile-you-can-get-a/) [Gunnar Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gunnar-peterson/) > [ Now they \[the Powers\] have started the aggression, and the extinction of our nation is imminent. If we just fold our arms and yield… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/empress-dowager-cixi/now-they-the-powers-have-started-the-aggression-and-the-extinction-of/) Empress Dowager Cixi > [I'm not going to appeal to violence or aggression - of course not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-navalny/i-m-not-going-to-appeal-to-violence-or-aggression-of-course-not/) [Alexei Navalny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-navalny/) > [This is passive-aggression in action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/this-is-passive-aggression-in-action/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [When a child hits a child, we call it aggression. 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But if American politicians, officials and servicemen are to be put…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-thatcher/major-international-interventions-are-doomed-unless-the-us-is/) [Margaret Thatcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-thatcher/) [Browse all 860 Aggression quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aggression/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of aggression without a declaration of war by Congress.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ramsey Clark" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-most-serious-act-of-aggression/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Aggression" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-most-serious-act-of-aggression/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7d7/ramsey-clark-20396_aggression_this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-m_933331.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“This country of ours has committed the most serious act of aggression in its history by engaging in a war of…” — Ramsey Clark", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ramsey Clark", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramsey-clark/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "This country of ours has committed...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-most-serious-act-of-aggression/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramsey-clark/this-country-of-ours-has-committed-the-most-serious-act-of-aggression/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```