Tell Your Rep: Assert Your War Powers Before Trump Strikes Syria
The New York Times is reporting that Trump has warned Russia that U.S. missiles “will be coming” to Syria.
But Senator Tim Kaine [D-VA] and Senator Mike Lee [R-UT] and the Congressional Progressive Caucus have a very different idea. Under the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution, Congress, not the President, decides when to use military force.
The NYT reports: ‘Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat of Virginia, said Mr. Trump needed permission from Congress before action. “He’s a president, not a king, and Congress needs to quit giving him a blank check to wage war against anyone, anywhere,” Mr. Kaine said. “If he strikes Syria without our approval, what will stop him from bombing North Korea or Iran?”’
The NYT’s Max Fisher justly mocked Washington’s “cult of ‘limited strikes.’” They accomplish nothing but unnecessary killing. But Washington loves them anyway, because past experience doesn’t matter. When it comes to pointless uses of military force, Washington culture is denialist: repeated failure doesn’t cause learning.
Democrat or Republican, your Rep. has an easy way to assert their war powers before Trump strikes Syria: they can sign the bipartisan Lofgren-Amash letter to Trump, telling him to come to Congress for authorization before striking Syria. That’s what stopped unconstitutional military action in Syria in August 2013 – two hundred Democratic and Republican House Members signing letters to the President, saying under the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution you have to come to us for authorization before striking Syria.
Call your Rep. now at 202-225-3121. When you reach a staffer or leave a message, you can say something like:
“I urge you to defend the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. Sign the bipartisan Lofgren-Amash letter insisting that Trump get Congressional authorization before striking Syria.”
And if you haven’t signed and shared our petition to the House in support of the Lofgren-Amash letter, you can do that here.
Thanks for taking action, and thanks for all you do to help make U.S. foreign policy more just,
Robert Naiman, Sarah Burns, and Tyler Bellstrom
Just Foreign Policy
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