Democrats are calling the Biden government air strikes in Syria unconstitutional.
President Biden on Thursday ordered air strikes against facilities in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militant groups, his first military action since taking office. The attacks were in response to several rocket attacks on US targets in Iraq.
While Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said the limited scope of the air strikes “aims to lessen the general situation in eastern Syria and Iraq”, many Democrats expressed concern on Friday that the move did exactly opposite, and argued that it was not legally justified.
“Some Democrats said that Congress did not approve an authorization to use military force specifically in Syria,” reports CNN.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) Said that “there is absolutely no justification for a president to authorize a military attack other than in self-defense against an imminent threat without Congressional authorization … we need to get rid of the Middle East, don’t climb. “
Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) Agreed, calling for an immediate Congressional briefing and saying that “an offensive military action without Congressional approval is not constitutional, without extraordinary circumstances”
Republicans, however, seem to be quite satisfied with the change. Representative Michael McCaul (R-Texas), the top Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, called the US response a “necessary deterrent” to tell Iran that attacks on US interests “will not be tolerated”, reports the CNN. As Fox News notes, Republicans Sens. Marco Rubio (Florida) and Lindsey Graham (SC), among others, also applauded the strike, calling it “proportional”.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki defended the action as “necessary” and said that Biden “has the right to act” as he sees fit. She said that “there was a complete legal response” and that the Department of Defense informed the Congress leadership in advance.
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