WASHINGTON – The crisis between the United States and Iran “was unnecessary and avoidable,” Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D, NY) said on Wednesday.
While she is “greatly relieved” that there were no US casualties in the retaliatory missile strikes by Iran, “President Trump brought us to the brink of war with Iran.”
She said Trump ordered the killing of the Iranian military leader without seeking congressional authorization or presenting a clear strategy.”
Gillibrand said the president’s actions “have severely damaged our relationship with Iraq, which has called for expelling US troops, an action that would create chaos and enable ISIS to regain power. Make no mistake – President Trump has made us less safe.”
The senator said it is unclear if the crisis is over. “President Trump must not take further military action unless he notifies Congress immediately and obtains authorization based on a clear explanation of the goals of military action, our adversaries, and the countries where our service members would be sent into conflict.’
She said the US “must embrace diplomacy and work with our allies in the region to de-escalate this situation and forge a lasting peace.” And Gillibrand said Congress should pass her “War Powers Reform resolution, which would release the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force and restrain President Trump or any future president from using open-ended authorizations to unilaterally engage in military actions.”
