How Libertarians think

[Dragon]

You didn't understand what I said. I addressed that. Try actually reading the post before you respond to it.

I did read it and I understood it perfectly; you were wrong all the way through. There is no delegated power to defend the United States in the Constitution. That phrase, "provide for the common defense," occurs only in the first clause of article I, Section 8 (and in the legally non-binding preamble), and there it is a modifier on the power to tax and spend, not a power in itself (like the "provide for the general welfare" language).

Here are the powers delegated to the federal government having primarily to do with warfare:

"The Congress shall have the Power . . .

"To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water;

"To raise and support Armies, but no Appropriation of Money to that Use shall be for a longer Term than two Years;

"To provide and maintain a Navy;

"To make Rules for the Government and Regulation of the land and naval Forces;

"To provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the Laws of the Union, suppress Insurrections and repel Invasions;

"To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining, the Militia, and for governing such Part of them as may be employed in the Service of the United States, reserving to the States respectively, the Appointment of the Officers, and the Authority of training the Militia according to the discipline prescribed by Congress;"

All of these powers relate to military action. The militia, arguably, is a defensive force (and the "repel invasions" language would seem to confirm this). The Army and Navy, however, can be used either defensively or aggressively. There is no requirement that they be used only in defense of the United States.