Activists participate in a protest in front of the White House October 12, 2017 in Washington, D.C. (Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images)
To Avoid Repeating Catastrophic Mistake of Iraq Invasion, Senate Bill Would Forbid Attack on Iran Without Congressional Approval
"Voters overwhelmingly think the Iraq War was a mistake; a war with Iran would be exponentially worse."
With National Security Adviser John Bolton threatening to "come after" Iran this week and President Donald Trump accusing the country of sowing "chaos, death, and destruction," Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) was joined Wednesday by several other members of the Democratic caucus in urging Congress to ensure that the U.S. avoids yet another prolonged war by passing legislation affirming that a preemptive attack on the country would be illegal.
The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2018 demands that the president obtain congressional approval for any military action in Iran. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) signed on as co-sponsors.
"Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisers like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies." --Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
"The administration's approach to Iran is ripped straight out of the same playbook that launched us into the failed invasion of Iraq, and Congress needs to assert its constitutional authority and halt the march to war," said Udall. "Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisors like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies. The consequences of war with Iran would be catastrophic, risking the lives of thousands of Americans while squandering our global reputation, with little chance of improving our long-term security."
The bill was introduced a day after Bolton told a gathering of anti-Iran activists that there would be "hell to pay" if Tehran "crossed" the U.S. or its allies.
Anti-war advocates praised Udall's proposal, especially in light of the president's numerous aggressive military actions in foreign countries since he entered office less than two years ago.
"The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, is the arbiter of when we go to war," said Paul Kawika Martin of Peace Action. "The Trump administration has repeatedly overstepped its war powers in Syria and Yemen, and seems eager to provoke a war with Iran. Senator Udall's legislation is a timely reminder that Trump has no authority to go to war with Iran without congressional authorization. Voters overwhelmingly think the Iraq War was a mistake; a war with Iran would be exponentially worse."
After nearly 30 people were killed in a terrorist attack at a parade in Iran over the weekend, President Hassan Rouhani and other observers suggested that a U.S.-backed Gulf State--possibly Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE)--was to blame. The attack came amid rising tension between the U.S. and Iran after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal that the Obama administration and five other countries had reached with Tehran, and reimposed punishing sanctions on the country.
Rouhani opened the door to a meeting with Trump at the U.N. General Assembly this week, but the president refused.
"The Constitution is very clear: it is the Congress, not the president, that has the authority to decide when our country goes to war," said Sanders. "Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued an extremely hostile and provocative policy against Iran. This bill makes clear that the Trump administration does not have authority to use the military for that purpose. We should be pursuing diplomacy to get Iran to change its problematic behavior, not war."
Urgent. It's never been this bad.
Dear Common Dreams reader, It’s been nearly 30 years since I co-founded Common Dreams with my late wife, Lina Newhouser. We had the radical notion that journalism should serve the public good, not corporate profits. It was clear to us from the outset what it would take to build such a project. No paid advertisements. No corporate sponsors. No millionaire publisher telling us what to think or do. Many people said we wouldn't last a year, but we proved those doubters wrong. Together with a tremendous team of journalists and dedicated staff, we built an independent media outlet free from the constraints of profits and corporate control. Our mission from the outset was simple. To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. Building Common Dreams was not easy. Our survival was never guaranteed. When you take on the most powerful forces—Wall Street greed, fossil fuel industry destruction, Big Tech lobbyists, and uber-rich oligarchs who have spent billions upon billions rigging the economy and democracy in their favor—the only bulwark you have is supporters who believe in your work. But here’s the urgent message from me today. It’s never been this bad out there. And it’s never been this hard to keep us going. At the very moment Common Dreams is most needed and doing some of its best and most important work, the threats we face are intensifying. Right now, with just two days to go in our Spring Campaign, we're falling short of our make-or-break goal. When everyone does the little they can afford, we are strong. But if that support retreats or dries up, so do we. Can you make a gift right now to make sure Common Dreams not only survives but thrives? There is no backup plan or rainy day fund. There is only you. —Craig Brown, Co-founder |
With National Security Adviser John Bolton threatening to "come after" Iran this week and President Donald Trump accusing the country of sowing "chaos, death, and destruction," Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) was joined Wednesday by several other members of the Democratic caucus in urging Congress to ensure that the U.S. avoids yet another prolonged war by passing legislation affirming that a preemptive attack on the country would be illegal.
The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2018 demands that the president obtain congressional approval for any military action in Iran. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) signed on as co-sponsors.
"Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisers like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies." --Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
"The administration's approach to Iran is ripped straight out of the same playbook that launched us into the failed invasion of Iraq, and Congress needs to assert its constitutional authority and halt the march to war," said Udall. "Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisors like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies. The consequences of war with Iran would be catastrophic, risking the lives of thousands of Americans while squandering our global reputation, with little chance of improving our long-term security."
The bill was introduced a day after Bolton told a gathering of anti-Iran activists that there would be "hell to pay" if Tehran "crossed" the U.S. or its allies.
Anti-war advocates praised Udall's proposal, especially in light of the president's numerous aggressive military actions in foreign countries since he entered office less than two years ago.
"The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, is the arbiter of when we go to war," said Paul Kawika Martin of Peace Action. "The Trump administration has repeatedly overstepped its war powers in Syria and Yemen, and seems eager to provoke a war with Iran. Senator Udall's legislation is a timely reminder that Trump has no authority to go to war with Iran without congressional authorization. Voters overwhelmingly think the Iraq War was a mistake; a war with Iran would be exponentially worse."
After nearly 30 people were killed in a terrorist attack at a parade in Iran over the weekend, President Hassan Rouhani and other observers suggested that a U.S.-backed Gulf State--possibly Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE)--was to blame. The attack came amid rising tension between the U.S. and Iran after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal that the Obama administration and five other countries had reached with Tehran, and reimposed punishing sanctions on the country.
Rouhani opened the door to a meeting with Trump at the U.N. General Assembly this week, but the president refused.
"The Constitution is very clear: it is the Congress, not the president, that has the authority to decide when our country goes to war," said Sanders. "Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued an extremely hostile and provocative policy against Iran. This bill makes clear that the Trump administration does not have authority to use the military for that purpose. We should be pursuing diplomacy to get Iran to change its problematic behavior, not war."
With National Security Adviser John Bolton threatening to "come after" Iran this week and President Donald Trump accusing the country of sowing "chaos, death, and destruction," Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) was joined Wednesday by several other members of the Democratic caucus in urging Congress to ensure that the U.S. avoids yet another prolonged war by passing legislation affirming that a preemptive attack on the country would be illegal.
The Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2018 demands that the president obtain congressional approval for any military action in Iran. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) signed on as co-sponsors.
"Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisers like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies." --Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.)
"The administration's approach to Iran is ripped straight out of the same playbook that launched us into the failed invasion of Iraq, and Congress needs to assert its constitutional authority and halt the march to war," said Udall. "Every day, the president and his saber-rattling foreign policy advisors like John Bolton are inching us closer and closer to conflict, endangering our national security, jeopardizing our diplomatic interests and alarming our allies. The consequences of war with Iran would be catastrophic, risking the lives of thousands of Americans while squandering our global reputation, with little chance of improving our long-term security."
The bill was introduced a day after Bolton told a gathering of anti-Iran activists that there would be "hell to pay" if Tehran "crossed" the U.S. or its allies.
Anti-war advocates praised Udall's proposal, especially in light of the president's numerous aggressive military actions in foreign countries since he entered office less than two years ago.
"The Constitution clearly states that Congress, not the president, is the arbiter of when we go to war," said Paul Kawika Martin of Peace Action. "The Trump administration has repeatedly overstepped its war powers in Syria and Yemen, and seems eager to provoke a war with Iran. Senator Udall's legislation is a timely reminder that Trump has no authority to go to war with Iran without congressional authorization. Voters overwhelmingly think the Iraq War was a mistake; a war with Iran would be exponentially worse."
After nearly 30 people were killed in a terrorist attack at a parade in Iran over the weekend, President Hassan Rouhani and other observers suggested that a U.S.-backed Gulf State--possibly Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates (UAE)--was to blame. The attack came amid rising tension between the U.S. and Iran after Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal that the Obama administration and five other countries had reached with Tehran, and reimposed punishing sanctions on the country.
Rouhani opened the door to a meeting with Trump at the U.N. General Assembly this week, but the president refused.
"The Constitution is very clear: it is the Congress, not the president, that has the authority to decide when our country goes to war," said Sanders. "Since taking office, the Trump administration has pursued an extremely hostile and provocative policy against Iran. This bill makes clear that the Trump administration does not have authority to use the military for that purpose. We should be pursuing diplomacy to get Iran to change its problematic behavior, not war."