US House votes to restrict Trump’s power trip over Iran

The US House of Representatives has passed a measure which attempts to stop Donald Trump from taking any further military action against Iran.

This was the fourth attempt by the House to adopt the War Powers Resolution.

The bill requires Trump to withdraw US forces or seek congressional approval for strikes in Iran.

The vote passed 215-208, and was successful after four Republicans joined the Democrats in their public show of disapproval of Trump’s illegal strikes. The rebel Republicans were Thomas Massie of Kentucky, Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Warren Davidson of Ohio, and Tom Barrett of Michigan.

The White House has dismissed the resolution’s value, calling it an unconstitutional attempt to restrict presidential power.

However, its passing does mean additional pressure on the White House to find a way to end the US and Israel’s illegal strikes on Iran.

If the Republican-controlled Senate also passes the bill, it would not require the president’s signature. However, it could still be subject to a legal challenge.

Trump exceeding authority

The supporters of the resolution say that Trump “exceeded his constitutional authority” by launching war alongside Israel.

Under Article II of the US Constitution, presidents can only launch attacks in self-defence in response to an immediate threat. Otherwise, Congress has the sole power to declare war.

And as we have already established, there was no immediate threat to either the US or Israel.

Additionally, as the Canary has previously reported, even former senior US military officials have said that Trump’s war on Iran is illegal. Even the Pentagon has since stated there was no imminent threat from Iran.

Senator Tim Kaine argued that:

even in a classified setting, the Trump administration could produce no evidence, none that the US was under an imminent threat of attack from Iran.

Trump has claimed that Iran was aiming to rebuild its nuclear programme. But, he also said Israel and the US “obliterated” this same programme in strikes last year. However, there was no evidence of any nuclear programme, this year or last.

The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency has told NBC News the organisation does not believe Iran has nuclear weapons and:

had not seen elements of a systematic and structured program to manufacture nuclear weapons there.

Trump also claimed that Iran was seeking to develop a long-range missile to attack the US, whilst Marco Rubio told reporters that Israel was planning to attack Iran, which would have consequences for US assets in the region.

Again, Trump contradicted this. He said Iran was the one planning an imminent attack on Israel.

Trump cannot make up his mind or decide which lie to stick to.

The bottom line is there have been attempts from successive US administrations to claim Iran’s military and nuclear-energy programs since the Islamic revolution in 1979 as an imminent threat to the world.

Iran had been in talks with the US to scale down its nuclear programme in the lead-up to the US and Israel’s illegal attacks. As usual, Israel bombed Iran during the peace talks.

What ceasefire?

The US and Iran reached an initial ceasefire agreement on 8 April. However, since the very beginning, Israel has blatantly ignored the agreement. And in recent days, the US has also struck radar sites.

Before the vote, Trump claimed that negotiations to end the war are going “very well” and could be finalised by the weekend. Of course, Trump has claimed this over and over, and each time, nothing comes of it.

But only yesterday, Trump claimed that:

In that part of the world, ceasefire is when you’re shooting in a more moderate manner.

Essentially, in Trump’s eyes, a ceasefire is when everyone except the US and Israel stops firing.

Trump and Netanyahu’s unprovoked attacks on Iran were illegal – but that’s Western colonialism for you. Because when Zionists bear arms, murder children and carpet bomb civilian infrastructure, it’s absolutely okay. But when Iranians, Lebanese people, or Palestinians attempt to defend themselves, it’s terrorism, and it must be stopped.

Now, Trump has bitten off more than he can chew. The reality is, he has no exit strategy without looking weak or upsetting Israel.

Featured image via Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images