Senate Republicans Let Trump Have Free Hand In Iran War

 

The spineless Republican MAGAt- led Senate voted yesterday to let the Malignant Fascist have a free hand in his Operation Epic Epstein Fury war on Iran:

A resolution to require President Trump to seek congressional approval for any further action in Iran failed to advance in the Senate, five days after the U.S. and Israel launched a military campaign against the Iranian regime.

The vote was 47-53, largely along party lines. If passed, the resolution would have blocked further U.S. military action in Iran without congressional approval under the 1973 War Powers Act. That legislation passed during the Vietnam War to give Congress a legal check on executive war authority. The 1973 act also requires the president to notify Congress within 48 hours of deploying U.S. forces into hostilities and to end the deployment within 60 days unless Congress authorizes or extends it.

The House is expected to vote on a similar measure on Thursday.

Democrats argue that Congress needs to reassert its authority to declare war and rein in President Trump's ability to act unilaterally, with some senators calling the strikes illegal.

Maryland Sen. Chris Van Hollen, who serves on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, is among the Democrats pushing for Congress to restrain Trump from further action.

"Trump is lying to the American people as he launches an illegal, regime-change war against Iran," Van Hollen said in a statement released ahead of the vote. "This is endangering American lives and has already resulted in mass civilian casualties. This is not making us safer and only damages the U.S. and our interests."...

One Republican, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), voted with Democrats and one nominal Democrat, Sen. John Fetterman (?-PA), voted with Republicans. (We have to wonder again what kompromat is being held over Fetterman and/or his immigrant wife, and/or what damage was done to his brain from the strokes he suffered to turn a Bernie Sanders- endorsed progressive into the party's current Sinemanchin.)

The House vote today is expected to fail in the MAGAt Republican-controlled House.

(Photo:  MAGAt Republican Sens. Barrasso (WY), Thune (SD), and Scott (SC) yesterday / Scott Applewhite, AP)