Ilhan Omar Brings War Powers to Block Trump Attacks After Venezuela Boat Strike

Rep Ilhan Omar D-Minn introduced a new war powers resolution on Thursday seeking to stop the Trump administration from conducting future strikes in the Caribbean after the U S attacked a boat leaving Venezuela last week Text of the first congressional resolution to address the strike was shared exclusively with The Intercept There was no legal justification for the Trump Administration s military escalation in the Caribbean Omar declared in a comment to The Intercept It was not self-defense or authorized by Congress That is why I am introducing a resolution to terminate hostilities against Venezuela and against the transnational criminal organizations that the Administration has designated as terrorists this year All of us should agree that the separation of powers is crucial to our democracy and that only Congress has the power to declare war Congress has the sole power to declare war as outlined in the Constitution though U S presidents often navigate around this authority when carrying out international attacks Omar deputy chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus unveiled the resolution with the backing of CPC leaders including caucus Chair Greg Casar D-Texas and caucus whip Rep Jes s Chuy Garc a D-Ill Casar disclosed Trump s strike was illegal Donald Trump cannot be allowed to drag the United States into another endless war with his reckless actions Casar stated It is illegal for the president to take the country to war without consulting the people s representatives and Congress must vote now to stop Trump from putting us at further exposure Related Rand Paul Reveals Venezuela Boat Attack Was a Drone Strike The Intercept first published on Wednesday that U S forces struck the boat multiple times in order to kill survivors according to two U S leaders granted anonymity to discuss the attacks News of the strike on the boat which President Donald Trump claimed was carrying drugs from Venezuela has divided various Republicans Sen Rand Paul revealed to The Intercept on Wednesday that the attack was a drone strike A current Pentagon official denounced the strike as an attack on civilians that violated international law While the president is commander in chief of the U S military the Constitution gives Congress the authority to declare war and authorize funding The first war powers resolution of required the president to notify Congress within hours of deploying U S forces abroad Although Congress has not officially declared war since World War II U S presidents have long discovered strategies to authorize military action around the globe without Congress s explicit permission The new resolution states that Congress has not declared war or enacted an authorization for use of military force against Venezuela or any transnational criminal organizations designated as terrorists since February The measure also directs Trump to end the use of U S armed forces against Venezuela or any transnational criminal groups designated as terrorists without authorization by Congress Members of Congress in both parties have expressed concerns about Trump s overreach in the use of military force House Republicans are planning to advance a measure to repeal the president s power to authorize military operations in the Middle East as Politico and other outlets announced Tuesday In June after Trump ordered bombings in Iran Democrats tried to advance a new war powers resolution which did not succeed in blocking the president s actions Trump has also proposed to take over Gaza which the United Nations has noted would violate international law Garc a the CPC whip commented the strike further exacerbated problems in a part of the world deeply damaged by U S interventions throughout history The extrajudicial strike against a vessel in the Caribbean Sea is only the largest part modern of Trump s reckless deadly and illegal military actions Now he s lawlessly threatening a region already profoundly impacted by the destabilization of U S actions announced Garc a With this War Powers Resolution we emphasize the total illegality of his action and consistent with overwhelming general opposition to forever war reclaim Congress sole power to authorize military action The post Ilhan Omar Brings War Powers to Block Trump Attacks After Venezuela Boat Strike appeared first on The Intercept