Auchincloss: President Trump should have asked Congress for authorization to strike Iran
President Trump’s airstrikes Saturday night shocked the world and took some members of Congress by surprise.
“I heard about these strikes the same way that every other American heard about them, which was the news and social media,” Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D – Mass.) said. “Which right up from tells you that this was an Article I embarrassment.”
Congressman Auchincloss said, regardless of whether the decision was right or wrong strategically, President Trump should have asked Congress for authorization to strike Iran.
“The constitution doesn’t say ‘Hey you should check in’ [or] ‘Hey you should ask a few members of Congress,'” Auchincloss said. “No, it says Congress has to vote on these issues.”
But Auchincloss said the president never consulted Congress at all.
“One can think that these strikes were strategically sound, and I’m inclined to think that when you have aerial dominance over Iran that’s a generational opportunity that the United States probably should take advantage of,” he said. “You can strategically largely agree with the president and still contest the unconstitutionality of his action.”
In the wake of the airstrikes, the Department of Homeland Security warned of a heightened threat environment in the United States.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey said Sunday night that she was briefed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and while there were not been any specific threats to Massachusetts, she said the state would closely monitor the situation.
“I think that it’s more likely for Iran to retaliate within its sphere of influence in the Middle East,” Auchincloss said. “What I’m concerned about are drones being smuggled in through shipping containers through trucks and other commercial means, then deployed against critical infrastructure or against public spaces where people are congregating.”
Now the question: Will this turn into a prolonged conflict or will Iran be willing to negotiate?
“This regime is evil, it has American blood on its hands, and it’s the world’s largest funder of terrorism,” Auchincloss said. “It will not negotiate in good faith when it feels like it is strong. It has to be made weak.”
“The attacks against Hezbollah, the attacks on Assad and Syria, the attacks on Hamas, and now the direct attacks on Iran have made it weaker,” he continued. “Now diplomacy can be pressed, and successful diplomacy would make the world safer.”
Auchincloss noted he planned to push for legislation that will revoke 2001 and 2002 war authorities to help tip the scales of war power back to Congress.
By: Ryan Medeiros
Source: ABC 6 Providence