In the wake of President Biden’s bombing of eastern Syria, some members of Congress are speaking out and questioning the legality of the move, including Biden’s fellow Democrats.
“We cannot stand up for Congressional authorization before military strikes only when there is a Republican president,” said Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA). “The administration should have sought Congressional authorization here. We need to work to extricate from the Middle East, not escalate.”
Senator Chris Murphy (D-CT) said the airstrikes were “unacceptable” and questioned the authorization. “Congress should hold this administration to the same standard it did prior administrations, and require clear legal justifications for military action, especially inside theaters like Syria, where Congress has not explicitly authorized any American military action,” he said.
Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) said Biden’s bombing was unconstitutional. “Offensive military action without congressional approval is not constitutional absent extraordinary circumstances,” he said. “Congress must be fully briefed on this matter expeditiously.”
While many Republicans applauded Biden’s airstrike, some spoke out against it, including Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and Senator Rand Paul (R-KY).
“I condemn meddling in Syria’s civil war. I also condemn attacking a sovereign nation without authority,” Senator Paul wrote on Twitter. “What authority does @POTUS have to strike Syria?”
On Friday, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said Congress would be fully briefed on the bombing next week. “The Department of Defense briefed Congressional leadership before the action last night. The Administration has been briefing the Hill at the Member- and staff-level today. There will be a full classified briefing early next week at the latest,” she said.
The Biden administration targeted Kataib Hezbollah and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada in Syria, Iraqi militias the US claims were responsible for recent rocket attacks on US bases in Iraq, although no evidence has been presented to back up the claim.
It’s good that at least a few of them are speaking up
“We need to work to extricate from the Middle East, not escalate”. Is
this true? Absolutely. Intelligent predictions are: This is but the first act of many in
PresidentChairman Joe Biden’s empire first policies.You mean like Chairman Trump?
(1/4When President Trump launched an attack against an Iranian general in Iraq, the Democrats offered a resolution to assert that any further attacks against Iran would require the proper approval of Congress. I was one of only three Republicans to vote for that resolution.
Thomas Massie
@RepThomasMassie
(2/4)President Trump called me to strongly encourage me not to vote for that resolution, but I told him I had always asserted Congress’ sole authority to declare war when Obama was President and I had to remain consistent.
Thomas Massie
@RepThomasMassie
(3/4)He said if I voted for it:
I would get a primary opponent (true: opponent filed the next day) and
He wouldn’t help me (true: during the race he encouraged the GOP to throw me out of the party)
Thomas Massie
@RepThomasMassie
Washington thinks Iran controls all the militia’s but it isn’t true.
Bombing a Syrian Militia due to violence in Iraq is just plain stupid, strategically.
The real story is this is a play for Israel acceptance of the JCPOA. Nothing pleases Israel more than bombing Syria, Israel very likely picked or was consulted on the targeting.
Meet the new boss, not all that much different from the old boss.
Venezuelan grifter Juan Guaido was just recognized as the leader of Venezuela by the Biden administration. ( Has Trump been named by Russia yet? ) . Biden has read the book by Ben Rhodes – The World As It Is and has decided :why bother ,just swim like a legit dead fish with the flow and no one will notice.
Free Putin’s personal political poisoner, Alexi Novalny now.