Alwaght- The US House of Representatives passed a resolution on Thursday to prevent President Donald Trump from further military action against Iran after his provocative decision to assassinate Islamic Republic’s top anti-terror commander Qassem Soleimani that drew a retaliatory missile attack from Tehran.
The resolution passed 224-194 along party lines in the Democratic-controlled House with nearly all Republicans opposed. The measure orders termination of Trump’s war powers to use US armed forces against Iran without Congress’ consent. The measure gives Congress more oversight of administration’s military action against Iran and calls for Trump to stop military force against Iran within 30 days if he does not have congressional approval.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told reporters Thursday that it has “real teeth” to check the president. “We must keep the American people safe,” she said on the House floor ahead of the vote. “The House will pass a war powers resolution to limit the president’s military actions regarding Iran. Congress is reassuring our long-established oversight responsibilities as we mandate that if no further congressional action is taken, the administration’s military hostilities with regard to Iran must end.”
The measure introduced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., is a concurrent resolution — meaning the president cannot veto it and it does not carry the force of law.
The measure now goes to the Senate, which is controlled by Trump’s Republican Party, and faces an uphill battle.
The vote came one day after Iran take revenge on US for assassination of Lieutenant General Soleimani and deputy head of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis with firing 13 ballistic missiles at US military base in western Iraq, Ain al-Assad Base. Trump who hase vowed to respond to Iran’s retaliation strongly, in an apparent turnabout tried to downplay Iran’s missile attack and claimed no American forces were killed I the attack so there were no need for escalation.
