Following the attacks on 9/11, “A few lawmakers were demanding a full declaration of war against international terrorism.” However, many lawmakers “were reluctant to make a formal declaration of war given the uncertainty over who the enemy is. ‘This is different than attacking an enemy who has a flag and a capital, with soldiers who wear uniforms,’ said Senator Robert G. Torricelli, Democrat of New Jersey.”
– Alison Mitchell and Philip Shenon, “Agreement on $40 Million for Aid and a Response,” The New York Times, Sep. 14, 2001