Trump's Iran Strike Is Unconstitutional

Peace has to prevail somehow

The news that Trump bombed Iran last night was shocking and beyond upsetting. I know you have been reading a lot from different sources on what happened, and what it can mean. I am still gathering information, too.

This New Yorker piece, which David Remnick wrote immediately, (he rarely does unless the news is alarming) is helpful. David gives over his podium to an expert of the region, Karim Sadjadpour, a scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and worked as an analyst with the International Crisis Group in Tehran. It’s a short piece, I recommend it.

Secondly, Nicholas Kristoff of the NY Times really speaks my mind in this video essay. We just don’t know enough yet.

@nytopinionLate Saturday, President Trump announced that the United States military attacked three nuclear sites in Iran, inserting the country into Israel's war. As someone who has covered Iran, these are a few things that @nytopinion columnist @nickkristofnyt worries about. #iran #nytopinion

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Does/did Iran have nuclear capabilities that they were planning to use soon? We can’t trust any of the three men at the heart of this war: Netanyahu, Trump or the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In terms of regime change, or the idea of eliminating nuclear capabilities, whether you consider it good or bad, do consider this: Trump’s military order was illegal, a clear violation of the Constitution. There was no imminent threat to the US from Iran; the president is required to ask for approval from Congress for such action.

Secondly, I suggest he is in large part doing this to take our minds off of his problems here at home, of which he has many. The distraction won’t work. If the Democrats win back both houses of Congress in the midterms, Trump will be impeached and could be thrown out. Trump most likely believes that bombing shows what a tough guy he is. It won’t work.

“Before Donald Trump ordered the bombing of nuclear sites in Iran, he was warned that, to quote Representative Thomas Massie of Kentucky, the Constitution does not permit the president “to unilaterally commit an act of war” against a nation that hasn’t first struck America. After the attack, Senator Chris Van Hollen of Maryland declared Trump’s actions “a clear violation of our Constitution—ignoring the requirement that only the Congress has the authority to declare war.” Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York stated, “It is absolutely and clearly grounds for impeachment.”

The way Trump acted last night should concern us all.

Iran is an extremely repressive regime, to put it mildly. I have Iranian friends, and have heard the stories from individuals. Negotiating with such a country is complicated and most likely less than effective. But it’s a better alternative than using bombs, in my opinion.

I wrote my friend who still lives in Iran to wish her well, she responded “Thank you. I wish peace for all.” I thought about showing some of her powerful cartoons here, but I am worried, and don’t want to make it worse for her.

Have a good Sunday. Thank you for being here, it means a lot to me. See you tomorrow.