‘WHERE IS CONGRESS? WHERE IS THE ‘PEACE PRESIDENT’S’ BETTER DEAL?’
(FEBRUARY 28—WASHINGTON) On behalf of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation and its sister organization, Council for a Livable World, Executive Director and former Congressman John Tierney releases the following statement regarding President Trump’s overnight attack on Iran:
“The self-declared ‘President of Peace’ proved that he doesn’t take negotiation and diplomacy seriously,” said Executive Director and former Congressman John Tierney. “He has chosen, seemingly unilaterally, to risk the lives of American servicemembers and civilians in the Middle East without a legal basis or a clear strategy.
There are many critical unanswered questions: most importantly, where is Congress? Are my former colleagues going to let Trump get away with starting a war to avoid a War Powers vote next week that was unlikely to go his way? Will they see through this clear attempt to divert attention from his bad polling numbers and other reputational crises? Or will they demand to see the evidence for why Iran presented an imminent danger to the United States?
Iran was actively negotiating with the United States about its nuclear program, which was the target of U.S. strikes last June. Indications are that progress was being made which the American people were told would not lead to war. Why was this supposedly promising start abandoned?
President Trump should address Congress and the American people and the world to explain why this attack was needed given his statements just this week that the Iranian nuclear program was ‘obliterated.’ He should also lay out his strategy for what comes next. Will more young Americans once again be asked to put their lives on the line in the Middle East without a clear plan?
This attack can only be considered an act of war. Article I of the Constitution is clear: Congress has the exclusive power to declare war. I call on my former colleagues in Congress to return to Washington immediately and vote on bipartisan War Powers Resolutions currently under consideration in both the House and Senate.”
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CONTACT: Anna Schumann
Communications Director
aschumann@armscontrolcenter.org
