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When the United States goes to war, the nation's attention focuses on the president. As commander in chief, a president reaches the zenith of power, while Congress is supposedly shunted to the sidelines once troops have been deployed abroad. Because of Congress's repeated failure to exercise its legislative powers to rein in presidents, many have proclaimed its irrelevance in military matters. After the Rubicon challenges this conventional wisdom by illuminating the diverse ways in which legislators influence the conduct of military affairs. Douglas L. Kriner reveals that even in politically sensitive wartime environments, individual members of Congress frequently propose legislation, hold investigative hearings, and engage in national policy debates in the public sphere. These actions influence the president's strategic decisions as he weighs the political costs of pursuing his preferred military course. Marshalling a wealth of quantitative and historical evidence, Kriner expertly demonstrates the full extent to which Congress materially shapes the initiation, scope, and duration of major military actions and sheds new light on the timely issue of interbranch relations.

Executive-legislative relations --- Politics and war --- Executive power --- United States. --- Powers and duties --- United States --- Military policy --- History, Military --- United States. Congress --- History [Military ] --- Presidents --- War --- War and politics --- Congressional-executive relations --- Congressional-presidential relations --- Executive-congressional relations --- Legislative-executive relationships --- Presidential-congressional relations --- Separation of powers --- Powers --- Political aspects --- Powers and duties. --- Military policy. --- History, Military. --- Executive-legislative relations - United States --- Politics and war - United States --- Executive power - United States --- United States - Military policy --- United States - History, Military --- united states politics, war, warfare, social sciences, history, us presidents, commander in chief, congress, troops, american military, legislative powers, conventional wisdom, wartime environments, international relations, diplomacy, national policy debates, historical evidence, investigative hearings, strategic decisions, public sphere, executive power, marines, legislators.