Fetterman Voted With GOP to Make Sure Trump Can Attack Iran Again

In a Friday evening vote the U S Senate rejected a war powers resolution that would have blocked President Donald Trump from making further attacks on Iran despite widespread disapproval of last week s strikes Senators voted - largely along party lines on a measure offered by Sen Tim Kaine D-Va that would have prohibited Trump from offensive measures while preserving his ability to defend U S forces Kaine s resolution drew near-unanimous sponsorship from Democrats including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer D-N Y I am hoping that the members of this body will stand up for the constitution In a floor speech Friday night Kaine underscored the continuing need for the measure despite a fragile ceasefire noting that Trump declared as in the last few days as Friday that he would be willing to bomb Iran again I am hoping I am realistic but I am hoping that the members of this body will stand up for the constitution will stand up for the proposition that war is too big to be decided by one person Kaine stated before his measure failed A single Republican Sen Rand Paul R-Ky who often opposes foreign interventions supported Kaine s measure Aside from Paul the resolution drew pushback from Senate Republicans Critics declared it would prevent the U S from defending Israel despite an amendment from Kaine specifically designed to address that concern President Trump seized the moment responsibly constitutionally and decisively mentioned Sen John Barrasso R-Wyoming the majority whip on the Senate floor America and our allies are safer nowadays because of it The resolution from Senator Kaine is not needed and I oppose it If passed it would prevent the president from protecting us in the future The strikes revealed divisions within the Democratic caucus Progressives largely opposed the strikes outright while chosen pro-Israel Democrats offered qualified or full aid One of the most of full-throated boosters was Sen John Fetterman D-Penn who voted against Kaine s resolution Fetterman has emerged as a leading proponent of the use of military force against Iran Blow it up Blow it up I think we should waste what s left of their nuclear facilities he disclosed in March His aggressive stance has alienated former donors who have requested refunds and staffers who have resigned at a steady pace Anti-war Party The war powers resolution was reliably considered a longshot since it would have required the endorsement of a veto-proof majority of both chambers of Congress A similar attempt in to end the Trump administration s involvement in Saudi Arabia s war on Yemen faltered when Trump vetoed it and Bernie Sanders I-Vermont pulled a similar resolution from consideration in amid pushback from Joe Biden s administration Kaine s measure however did put senators on the record about how they feel about Trump s unpopular strikes Americans disapproved of the strikes percent to percent according to a snap CNN poll conducted directly after the attack The results mirror other surveys Numerous Democrats sought to criticize Trump without directly addressing the strikes by voicing concern over the administration s failure to obtain congressional approval before the attack or to adequately brief Congress after it The Democratic Party requirements to clearly stand up against this war In the House progressives and ranking committee leaders have offered two alternative war powers resolutions Advocates say the version offered by Democratic leaders would do little to prevent Trump from launching future strikes if he justifies them as defending Israel At a press conference Wednesday Rep Ro Khanna D-Calif disclosed the party should back the tougher resolution which he cosponsored with Rep Thomas Massie R-Ky The Democratic Party Khanna commented demands to clearly stand up against this war and take the mantle again of being the anti-war party the party that stands up against wars of choice against these endless wars in the Middle East The post Fetterman Voted With GOP to Make Sure Trump Can Attack Iran Again appeared first on The Intercept