The president should absolutely not be able to unilaterally initiate a first strike (read "unprovoked") nuclear attack. The president should not, in fact, be authorized to unilaterally initiate ANY first strike military action. "But what if an enemy is preparing to attack us and we have a small window for a preemptive strike?!" First of all, if an enemy has motive, means, and opportunity, and is preparing to act on those, then it's no longer unprovoked and therefore this legislation wouldn't apply. But further, I want you to describe for me what kind of attack an enemy needs to be preparing that authorizes a preemptive NUCLEAR WEAPON ATTACK. If a situation calls for a preemptive strike, so be it, but what scenario could possibly justify a NUCLEAR preemptive strike? No, the president doesn't need and, further, shouldn't have this power.