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Original drawing of Henry Kissinger sitting at his desk while his secretary informs him of an incoming call.

Reluctant students often criticize the study of history as irrelevant to the present day. In the case of one important and controversial piece of legislation, nothing could be farther from the truth. The 1973 War Powers Resolution (WPR), which places limits on presidential power to deploy troops in combat situations, has ample application to the political functioning of the United States today. Thus, investigating and studying the resolution remains relevant and important today. The WPR became law in 1973, overcoming a predictable veto by President Nixon. The legislation has consistently been a flashpoint for political controversy – eliciting criticism by both parties, and both opponents and supporters of expansive presidential power. Not only has it created political controversy, but its effectiveness has been a constant source of study, debate, and disagreement. This thesis will argue that the WPR has been largely ineffective at achieving its goals of restricting presidential powers. It will analyze several conflicts that the United States has been involved in since its passage. This paper will examine the political climate at the time of its initial passage, and then examine the effect it has had on subsequent conflicts. Ultimately, this paper will contend that the WPR has been an ineffective attempt at restricting presidential war powers, due to its political nature, vague language, and the modern strength of the American president.

The Democratic party donkey has its tongue poking out of a grin while eyeing the 1974 November calendar with November 5th circled with the Republican party elephant.

Secretary of State Henry Kissinger dives from a high diver into a small, shallow pool that says "Watergate."

A giant elephant is sitting on a chair, waiting its turn. It is outside a door that says "Rev H Billy Golightly EXORCIST please wait."

President Ford, wearing a white helmet is attempting to glue falling leaves back on the tree. The leaves say "G.O.P. Losses."

Next to an empty bed is a graph of the "Stock Market" and the line plunges down, through the graph, down the wall, to the floor and under the bed.

Secretary of State William P Rogers is standing in a gap of a giant dollar sign.

A giant thumbs down with "1974" on its sleeve is directing at an older man at a desk in a political office. His name plate says "all incumbents."

A giant Democratic party elephant is looking through a magnifying glass at a tiny President Richard Nixon.

A man in a large car with teeth in its grill, is honking at a man in a much smaller vehicle that is in front of him.

Bottles of pills are in a group, a couple are knocked over with pills coming out. A giant bill bottle says "U.S. Pill Industry."

A man and wife are sitting in their living room and the wife is reading a newspaper. The headlines on the paper are, "Another White House staffer jailed", "Stocks sag", "Food soars", "Nixon's credibility dives", "Tape gaps no accidents, say experts", "Big Oil accused." The husband is about to smoke a cigar.

A man is stressed and freaking at a driving simulation while he's being watched by men in trench coats through a window. Above the window is a sign that says "Interrogation Room. Authorized personnel only."

United States Attorney General William B Saxbe is in a forest holding a chainsaw in a forest. The trees around him say "autos, steel, At & t and Paper."

The Democrat Party Elephant is trying to milk a cow that has "Milk Lobby". On the other side of the cow is the Republican Donkey telling him, he has been there all the time with the milk lobby.

A woman with "Consumer" on her purse is next to a man with "Farmer" on his hat, holding a garden ho, are both stuck in some gears with a giant hand that says "Middle man" is pulling the crank on the gears.

President Ford is riding a horse and behind him is President Nixon trying to desperately hang onto the horses tail that says "Benefits."

A garbage truck is backing up and emptying into a landfill that has "U.S. wastefulness" in the mountain of trash.

A long line of cars waiting to fill up on gasoline. A man got out of his car and his praying for the line to go quicker.

President Richard Nixon is hanging onto the tail end of Air Force One while its flying in the air.

A traffic jam with cars, buses and trucks honking, crashing into each other.

In the top frame, a judge is telling a former Cabinet officer, "A former Cabinet officer, charged with perjury, obstruction of justice, suppression of evidence, criminal conspiracy, and misuse of Federal funds and agencies? If you'll please guilty to double-parking, I'll temper justice with mercy. Ten days or ten dollars, suspended ... ". The cabinet officer replies "Sniff! Bless you, sir.". In the bottom frame, the African American driver of the cabinet officer receives 6 months for being his drive. The judge says, " ... And you're his chauffeur, eh? Six months!"

A woman is pulled over near a "Speed limit 35 enforced" sign, explaining she thought all speed limits were 55 mph thanks to the new National Maximum Speed Law that went into effect.

President Richard Nixon is hiding under the covers on his bed while the window is open, blowing in wind.

President Gerald Ford is peeking out from behind a shower curtain, standing in a "The "Open Presidency"" bathtub.

Former President Richard Nixon has a foot in a cast, hanging onto a crutch while trying to set a "lawsuit for tapes" canon that is aimed at "U.S. Gov't" building.

A family of four is shivering trying to cover themselves with a low paycheck. The window is open and it is windy and snowing outside.

The top square shows a man swimming in a bag of money and coins with a giant "R" on it. The bottom scene is the giant bag of money with an "R" on it, on top of the man who is trapped underneath.

Top square shows a soaring Dumbo elephant with a F on his helmet and it says "First month". In the bottom comic, it says "Second month" and Dumbo is crashed on the ground.

A man inside a house, painting a sign that says "Tax payers on str[ike]." in response to all the men outside, on the street, who are protesting from agencies that tax payers pay for, like "police, garbage collectors, firemen, bus drivers, teachers, file clerks, street cleaners etc."

Vice President Gerald Ford is walking behind President Nixon holding a halo over his head.

A man and his child are sitting at the table with empty plates while holding their utensils while talking to his wife who is cooking in the kitchen.

Newly sworn in President Gerald Ford sits at his desk in the Oval Office.

A couple of men are at a airplane sale. Three commercial airplanes have for sale signs on them.

A family is going through their house hold bills. The dad, holding bills for "mortage, car, clothing, dental, books, bus" is saying they do not have enough money to eat.

An elephant, representing the Democratic Party is jumping for joy in its hospital bed. It is covered with bandages. A doctor and nurse are peeking from the door.

An up close look at a thermostat on the wall. It is set to 68 degrees.

Worried President Richard Nixon is peeking out from behind a tree, watching Special Prosecutor Leon Jaworski in a police uniform looking around through a magnifying glass.

Two men are whispering and joking about Vice President Jerry Ford who is in front of them, with his legs crossed and his arms crossed over his head, wearing a "I follow and believe" sign around his neck.

A small "Tax Payer" man is holding the leashes of three giant dogs looking down on him. The dogs collars say "Federal police", "Pentagon" and "CIA."

President Gerald Ford is bouncing on a pogo stick that says "Air Force Once" over mountains that say "Summitry". Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is bouncing on the "No 2" pogo stick.

United States Secretary of State Henry Kissinger is sitting on an airplane with his briefcase in his lap with a military officer informs him of his next mission.

President Gerald Ford, wearing a helmet is trying to crime over a barbed wire fence that has a sign that says "Welcome home, war resisters Enter here."

President Richard Nixon is impressed when a military man tears the cords for NBC, ABC and CBS.

A couple of people in military uniforms and sheets over their face are sitting at a desk with a "Liberation Army" sign above behind them. One soldier has "Chief of staff" sign in front of him and the other one has "Commanding General."

A man in a suit is telling a man who's wearing a giant helmet on his head that says "military spying on civilians" that the helmet needs to be worn on the top of his head.

Two Vietnamese man comment on this zig zag line that is stuck in the ground by them.

Automobiles, representing the Automotive Society, are falling off a cliff into a pool of oil.

President Richard Nixon is looking at a world atlas. An Air Force pilot is telling him they cannot land in Sikkim, India.