barbary

I don't see how the latter is any more nebulous than Congress's authorization of force against the Barbary pirates in 1801.

Wars fought under informal authorization by Congress date all the way back to Jefferson and the First Barbary War.

The First Barbary War is a fascinating subject, and it's interesting as a point of reference.

In the case of the Barbary Wars, Vietnam War, the Iraq War and War on Terror / Afghanistan War, etc...

The Barbary Wars was an interesting case of how multiple naval forces were engaging in piracy etc against each other.

It was either in The Barbary Coast or Rebecca Solnit's book about Muybridge.

A permanent US Navy was created to protect trade routes from Barbary pirates.

Think of wars involving Viking tribes, or the Barbary wars.

What warrant did Jefferson serve on the Barbary Pirates?

Speaking of precedent, something something something Barbary Pirates something.

Many declared that as just plain barbary, antisemitism, etc.

Terrorists are the modern day Barbary Pirates.

"Orientalism" is not about Barbary slave raids that emptied whole villages, about Ottoman invaders colonizing half of eastern Europe for centuries, or about the Islamic invasion of Spain.

Congress never declared war against Tripoli during the Barbary Wars (just 12 years after the signing of the Constitution) so at least historically it doesn't seem like the founding generation believed it necessary to pass some "official declaration of war" in order to signal Congress's approval for the President to execute war.

Some simply recommend to just suck it up as the price of doing business, but that goes against everything America has typically done with regard to terrorism, all the way back to the Barbary Pirates: "Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute!"

So, no, Chinese people are not heartless zombies workers, they cherish human life and had a full structured ethical system when Europe was Barbary, and they are taking themselves out of survival mode at a pace that is unseen in the history, which require some prioritization.