August 7, 1964

On this day 42 years ago, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorizing President Lyndon B. Johnson to "...take all necessary steps, including the use of armed force, to assist any member or protocol state of the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty requesting assistance in defense of its freedom."

Today, almost four years after Congress authorized military action against Iraq, would be a good day to reflect on the lessons of that much earlier action.