Four Republican senators join Democrats to withdraw war powers from Trump
For the first time, the chamber allows the processing of the resolution, which had been stalled seven times since the attack on Iran
BarcelonaThe United States Senate has voted to advance a resolution on war powers aimed at forcing Donald Trump to end the war with Iran, unless he receives congressional authorization to continue it. With 50 votes in favor and 47 against, it is the first time the chamber has allowed the initiative to be debated, after seven failed attempts since the United States launched the coordinated attack with Israel against Iran on February 28. Four Republican senators have joined the Democratic senators, who voted in favor with a single exception.
On this occasion, Senator Bill Cassidy, who has just lost the primaries in Louisiana to a candidate endorsed by Trump, has given his support to debate the measure. "While I support the administration's efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear program, the White House and the Pentagon have kept Congress out of Operation Epic Fury," Cassidy justified on social media after the vote. "In Louisiana, I've heard from citizens, including Trump voters, concerned about this war. Until the administration provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified." In addition to him, three Republican senators who had already voted in favor of debating the measure have once again given their support.
A "costly and chaotic" conflict
“Vote by vote, we Democrats are beginning to crack the Republicans’ wall of silence on Trump’s illegal war,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “For more than 80 days, Trump has dragged the United States into a costly and chaotic conflict, without a plan, without an objective, and without legal authority. Today’s vote shows that pressure works: Republicans are beginning to give in and the momentum to set limits is growing. We will not back down.”
Tuesday's vote is just the first step for the resolution to be approved, a scenario that, in any case, would almost certainly face Trump's veto, even if it passed both the Senate and the House of Representatives. But Democrats see the process as a strategy to force Republicans to position themselves on a Trump war that they consider unpopular.
“The Senate should take advantage of this moment to do what we should have done before starting the war: debate its justification, the strategy, the ultimate goal, and the cost to American taxpayers and the economy,” said before the vote the promoter of the initiative, Virginia Senator Tim Kaine.