Except when responding to a crisis that requires immediate action, the President should first attain a congressional declaration of war, not an "authorization to use forces", but an actual declaration of war, BEFORE using American forces in another country.
If the President has the nerve to send American soldiers into combat in a foreign country, Congress should have the courage to declare war on that country. The Constitution states that Congress has the duty to declare war. They should have to vote yes or no before committing American forces overseas.
This would ensure that we are committed and serious about the use of military force, and would cut down on the frequency of needless wars.