Democrats assail ‘erratic’ Trump over Iran strikes

WASHINGTON: Democrats bristled on Sunday over US President Donald Trump´s decision to launch air strikes on Iran without seeking authorization from Congress, accusing the Republican of violating the constitution and demanding a vote to rein in his war powers.

Members of the Senate and House of Representatives argued that US intelligence had not shown an imminent threat from the Middle Eastern country that justified Trump´s unilateral action.

“President Trump´s actions in bombing Iran puts the US on the brink of a wider war in the Middle East, all without constitutionally required Congressional approval,” Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin said in a statement.

Democrats were divided between those demanding a vote on a war powers resolution to constrain Trump´s authority to launch further action and a smaller group, who maintained that the strikes were grounds for the Republican leader´s impeachment.

They included Illinois moderate Sean Casten and New York leftist Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who accused the president of having “impulsively risked launching a war that may ensnare us for generations.” Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries, the Democratic leaders in the Senate and House respectively, said Trump had “dramatically increased” America´s risk of becoming embroiled in a new Middle Eastern conflagration.

“No president should be allowed to unilaterally march this nation into something as consequential as war with erratic threats and no strategy,” Schumer said. The Democrats have foreign policy hawks in their ranks and many were quick to point to the threat that a nuclear-armed Iran would pose --- while still upbraiding Trump for acting without consulting lawmakers.

“The Constitution makes clear that the power to authorize war lies with Congress... The American people deserve more than vague rhetoric and unilateral decisions that could set off a wider war,” said Mark Warner, vice chairman of the Senate intelligence committee.

The loudest Democratic voice in support of the strikes was staunchly pro-Israel Senator John Fetterman, who singled out Trump for praise -- something even party colleagues who support the strikes have avoided.