#war-powers

#war-powers

Senate Republicans voted down legislation Wednesday that would have put a check on Donald Trump's ability to use deadly military force against drug cartels after Democrats tried to counter the administration's extraordinary assertion of presidential war powers to destroy vessels in the Caribbean. The vote fell mostly along party lines, 48-51, with two Republicans, Rand Paul and Lisa Murkowski, voting in favor and the Democrat John Fetterman voting against.

Congress has made narcotics importation a serious felony crime fit for prosecution in the civilian courts. It has not authorized the executive branch to treat it as an armed attack to be countered by American military power. Obviously, narcotics trafficking is a significant crime problem, but American users obtain illegal narcotics voluntarily and, usually, nonviolently. The importation and distribution of illegal drugs is simply not analogous to a missile strike or other violent mass-murder attack, he wrote.

I am deeply concerned that the recent escalation of hostilities between Israel and Iran could quickly pull the United States into another endless conflict, Kaine told NBC News.

"It is not in our national security interest to get into a war with Iran unless that war is absolutely necessary to defend the United States."