Elizabeth Goitein

Under our constitutional system, it is Congress, not the president, who decides when, where and against whom the nation goes to war.

Now, certainly, if the United States is attacked and if it's necessary to use force for self-defense, the president does not have to wait for Congress.

He does have inherent constitutional authority in that situation to use military force.

But of course, that's not the case here.

in Greenland.

It wasn't the case in Venezuela.

And also, you know, the United States is a signatory to the UN Charter, under which we can't just go into a sovereign country and take it over.

And that treaty has been ratified by the Senate.

That means it is the law of the land, and the president is required, again, under our constitution, to faithfully execute the law.

So on numerous counts, it would be not only illegal, but a violation of the separation of powers in the Constitution, a violation of the president's obligations to execute the law for the president to take these actions.

It's not a close call.

The president does not have the legal authority to invade and take over Greenland.