(Washington) Influential members of Congress are demanding a quick vote on a war powers resolution that would limit President Donald Trump’s military attack on Iran unless the administration gains their approval for what they say is a potentially illegal campaign that risks drawing the United States into deeper conflict in the Middle East.
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The House of Representatives and the Senate, where the president’s Republican Party has a slim majority, had already drafted such resolutions well before Saturday’s strikes. They are now set to embark on a rare debate on war powers next week, which will serve as a referendum on Donald Trump’s decision to take military action alone without formal authorization from Congress.
“Has President Trump learned nothing from decades of US interference in Iran and endless wars in the Middle East? said Sen. Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, one of the leaders of the bipartisan effort. He called the strikes against Iran a “colossal mistake.”
In the House of Representatives, Reps. Ro Khanna, Democrat of California, and Thomas Massie, Republican of Kentucky, are demanding that Congress publicly weigh in on their own bipartisan measure.
“Congress must meet on Monday to vote,” Mr. Khanna said, “to end this.”
Mr Massie criticized Mr Trump’s presidential campaign slogan and said: “It’s not ‘America First’.”
But most Republicans, especially their leaders, welcomed Donald Trump’s decision against Iran. Many have cited the nuclear programs and ballistic capabilities of this longtime adversary of the United States to justify a military response.
“Well done, Mr. President,” said Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina. As I observe and follow this historic operation, I am impressed by President Trump’s determination to be a man of peace, but also, ultimately, evil’s worst nightmare. »
War powers debate tests Congress
The administration’s decision to launch, with Israel, what appears to be an open-ended joint military operation aimed at changing the government in Tehran tests the Constitution’s separation of powers in profound and dramatic ways.
Nearly two months earlier, Donald Trump ordered U.S. strikes that toppled Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
While presidents have the authority, as commanders in chief, to conduct certain strategic military operations on their own, the Constitution grants Congress the power to declare war.
Before the Iraq War began in March 2003, Republican President George W. Bush lobbied for months for congressional authorization. No such vote has been attempted regarding Iran, and a previous Senate attempt to halt Donald Trump’s actions after last summer’s strike on Iran failed.
The debate in Congress over war powers would be largely symbolic. Even if a resolution were passed by a divided Congress, Donald Trump would likely veto it and Congress would not have the two-thirds majority needed to override it. Congress has often failed to block other U.S. military actions, including a Senate vote on Venezuela, but roll-call votes remain publicly available.
