House Speaker Nancy Pelosi isn't just condemning President Trump's decision to (rightfully) take out Iranian terrorist leader Qassem Soleimani, she's submitting a resolution to tie his hands in the future. In other words, she's attempting to limit President Trump's ability to protect Americans, at home and abroad, from Iranian terrorists planning lethal attacks.
"Last week, the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials," Pelosi wrote in a letter to her Democrat colleagues, falsely painting Iran as the victim of U.S. aggression. "This week, the House will introduce and vote on a War Powers Resolution to limit the President' military actions regarding Iran. This resolution is silmar to the resolution introduced by Senate Tim Kaine in the Senate. It reasserts Congress's long-established oversight responsibilities by mandating that if no further Congressional action is taken, the Administration's military hostilities with regard to Iran cease within 30 days."
President Trump's decision to take out Soleimani, along with Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, was a defensive action against an imminent threat in the aftermath of a U.S. Embassy attack in Baghdad. Considering Soleimani's plans to launch attacks throughout Syria, Lebanon and Iraq against American targets, the strike was proportional. From Reuters:
In mid-October, Iranian Major-General Qassem Soleimani met with his Iraqi Shi’ite militia allies at a villa on the banks of the Tigris River, looking across at the U.S. embassy complex in Baghdad.
The Revolutionary Guards commander instructed his top ally in Iraq, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, and other powerful militia leaders to step up attacks on U.S. targets in the country using sophisticated new weapons provided by Iran, two militia commanders and two security sources briefed on the gathering told Reuters.
Two weeks before the October meeting, Soleimani ordered Iranian Revolutionary Guards to move more sophisticated weapons - such as Katyusha rockets and shoulder-fired missiles that could bring down helicopters - to Iraq through two border crossings, the militia commanders and Iraqi security sources told Reuters.
At the Baghdad villa, Soleimani told the assembled commanders to form a new militia group of low-profile paramilitaries - unknown to the United States - who could carry out rocket attacks on Americans housed at Iraqi military bases.
While Pelosi and her counterpart in the Senate, Chuck Schumer, continue to whine about not being briefed before the airstrike, current and former members of Congress with real Iran experience are explaining why congressional authorization wasn't necessary.
.@ChrisMurphyCT This was an act self defense to prevent further attacks against our Military. Congressional authorization not required. To wait for #Suleimani to put more Americans in body bags would be irresponsible of @realDonaldTrump as CINC. This is a win for America ???? #Iran https://t.co/UCRnmFNnd7
— Rep. Michael Waltz (@RepMichaelWaltz) January 3, 2020
“President Trump’s order to take out Qasem Soleimani was morally, constitutionally and strategically correct.”
— Retired Orrin G. Hatch (@RetiredOrrin) January 6, 2020
Thoughtful read from former colleague @JoeLieberman https://t.co/sHPUoKuaZd
This is what happens to heads of terrorist organizations. The Iranian government is not the victim here, they are the culprits. If they want to truly have a de-escalation, then guess what? Stop killing Americans and our allies. @AC360 pic.twitter.com/AzX4QeFDIS
— Rep. Will Hurd (@HurdOnTheHill) January 4, 2020
With Republicans in control of the Senate, the resolution will go nowhere.
