Washington, DC – Democrats quickly accused US President Donald Trump of overstepping his authority as he praised what he called the “spectacular military success” of the strikes he authorized against Iran.
Trump launched military strikes against Iran’s nuclear sites without the consent of Congress, according to numerous critics who have since charged him with violating the US Constitution.
Trump threatened to end wars, but now he has plunged America into one, according to Senator Christopher Van Hollen Junior.
His actions “ignore a clear violation of our Constitution,” despite the requirement that only the Congress can declare war.
Legislators from both major parties have spearheaded measures to compel Trump to approach Congress before starting any strikes in the wake of the US attacks.
Congress has the authority to declare war or authorize the use of force for a particular purpose under the US Constitution.
Trump’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) supporters have also been vehement in their opposition to US involvement in Israel’s conflict. It has pointed out that Trump won the election despite making the commitment to end Middle Eastern hostilities. They want Trump to concentrate on domestic issues, particularly the economy.
Justifications for impeachment
The 1973 War Powers Resolution, which curbed the president’s authority to declare war on the military, expanded this authority.
Trump, according to progressive congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, violated both the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution.
He “has impulsively risked starting a war that may ensnare us for generations.” She said that impeachment is unquestionably and clearly a possibility.
Because the president is the armed forces’ commander-in-chief, he can impose orders, but they must also adhere to the rules set forth by the Constitution.
However, the president has the authority to appoint military personnel in the event of a “sudden attack” or to take legal action.
Numerous Democrats quickly realized that the US was not in imminent danger from Iran’s long-running nuclear facilities.
In a March assessment, the US intelligence community stated that Iran is not developing nuclear weapons.
Trump appears to be sidelining Congress in his foreign policy because he has increasingly relied on executive powers to govern domestically.
However, lawmakers have little control over his military decision because Republicans control both the House and the Senate. It’s almost impossible to impeach someone.
Without the consent of Congress, President Trump’s sending of American troops to Iran is a flagrant violation of our Constitution. pic. twitter.com/pqzAeS4K19
No legal justification for strikes
Trump is likely to veto any legislation that is introduced by lawmakers under the War Powers Resolution to outlaw attacks on Iran without the Congress’ approval.
Trump’s strikes have enough support to make that outcome unlikely, but the House and Senate could overturn the veto with two-thirds of the vote.
The US president has not provided a legal justification for the strikes, but he is likely to cite an existing military authorization or claim that he was responding to an urgent need.
A law that gave the permission to then-President George W. Bush to launch what would become the “war on terror” was passed in the wake of the September 11 attacks.
As part of the so-called “war on terror,” US wars against Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, among others, were waged by millions of people and devastated societies. Additionally, it has cost US soldiers’ lives and trillions of dollars.
A year later, lawmakers approved a second authorization to allow the invasion of Iraq in 2002.
The Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), which is still in effect, was used by previous presidents to justify attacks that Congress did not specifically approve.
The attack on Iran is “patently illegal,” according to Brian Finucane, a senior adviser with the International Crisis Group’s US program and former State Department lawyer.
In a social media post, he wrote, “Even under the prevailing executive branch doctrine, this is likely to constitute ‘war’ requiring congressional authorization.”
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s statement regarding the Iranian bombing by the United States:
The Middle East conflict is now at an all-time high, with President Trump ordering the strikes on Iran and ordering them to be carried out without the consent of Congress.
Military strikes won’t be…
When Trump announced the attack, influential progressive senator Bernie Sanders was speaking at a rally in Oklahoma.
Attendees began chanting, “No more war” as Sanders explained the US strikes to the audience.
He claimed that it is “absolutely unconstitutional.” The president does not have that right, as the president is well-known for. The only entity that can bring this nation to war is the US Congress.
Nancy Pelosi, a former member of the Democratic House, said lawmakers will “demand answers” from the administration.
Source: Aljazeera
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