Massachusetts, New Hampshire lawmakers react to U.S. attacks on Iran
Massachusetts and New Hampshire lawmakers are reacting to the United States attacks on Iran on Saturday.
The U.S. and Israel launched the operation against Iran in the early morning hours, after President Trump had been threatening the country to make a deal about its nuclear program. Trump released a video where he called on the Iranian citizens to stay inside for the time being, but "when we are finished, take over your government." The U.S. military called the attacks "Operation Epic Fury."
Iran responded to the strikes with assaults of their own on two U.S. military bases and on Jordan, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, and Israel.
On Sunday, the Pentagon confirmed that three U.S. troops have been killed in the conflict, the first American casualties.
Massachusetts lawmakers react to U.S. strikes on Iran
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a member of the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee, called the strikes "dangerous and illegal."
"'America first' doesn't mean dragging the United States into another forever war built on lies while ignoring the needs of Americans here at home. The Constitution is clear: only Congress can declare war. The Senate must come back in session immediately to vote up or down on a War Powers Resolution," Warren said in a statement.
Senator Ed Markey said the attacks are "unconstitutional" and that they were not approved by Congress.
"Trump's illegal actions raise the threat of escalation into a wider regional war with grave risks for U.S. troops and civilians in the region. Trump has consistently exaggerated the imminence of Iran's nuclear threat, even after insisting the United States 'obliterated' Iran's nuclear program during his illegal Operation Midnight Hammer attack. Even Secretary of State Marco Rubio admitted Iran is not enriching uranium. There was time for diplomacy before this attack, and there still is," Markey said in a statement.
Markey called for the United States to take a diplomatic approach to preventing Iran from having a nuclear weapon.
"Americans do not want another endless war in the Middle East. They do not want to see young men and women sent overseas for endless warfare while families at home cannot afford health care. If Trump does not stop this war now, Congress must. No more war with Iran."
Representative Stephen Lynch said that the strikes will be costly to U.S. taxpayers and that he worries about troops that are stationed overseas.
"I'm terribly fearful that we may be putting our sons and daughters in uniform in harm's way without a really good strategy. We haven't had that communication with the White House that we would normally have under circumstances like this. The President has repeatedly used military force in a half dozen countries without confering with Congress never mind asking for their authorization. That is problematic," Lynch said on Saturday. "Under those circumstances you would wish that the country was united by the president instead of divided."
Representative Seth Moutlon posted a statement on social media Saturday.
"Donald Trump is taking the US to war in Iran without the approval of Congress, the American people, or anyone besides Netanyahu," Moulton said.
Then on Sunday, Moulton followed up upon learning that three U.S. service members had been killed and five wounded.
"On Saturday morning, Trump shrugged and said casualties 'often happen in war', and now they have," Moulton said. "Our troops and Gold Star families deserve reverence, not callousness, and it's not lost on many that Trump has called our troops 'suckers' for serving, 'losers' for dying, and attacked John McCain for getting captured in war. The very least that our troops and their families deserve is honesty and respect."
Representative Jake Auchincloss said he is ready to work with Republicans in Congress and vote on a War Powers Resolution to stop hostility with Iran until the President asks for permission from Congress.
"Given his lies to the Iranian protestors about help on the way, his weakness in Ukraine, and his blood-for-oil scheme in Venezuela, this president has no credibility on either the strategy or law guiding foreign policy. Congress must reclaim its war powers and insist that military force against Iran be debated in plain view of the American people, not on Signal chats," Auchincloss said on social media.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan released a statement saying in part, "Our men and women in uniform deserve a clear mission, defined objectives, and a strategy that protects U.S. interests and regional stability without sliding into another forever war."
"Every dollar and every American servicemember committed to an open-ended conflict abroad is a dollar and a life not invested here at home – in the families already stretched thin at the grocery store, on their utilities, and at the doctor's office. At a moment of real economic pressure, driven in part by reckless policies advanced by this administration, the last thing our country needs is a costly war launched without congressional debate or a clear strategy," Trahan explained.
New Hampshire lawmakers react to attacks on Iran
Senator Maggie Hassan said she was deeply concerned about the attacks, but was praying for U.S. service members who may be in danger from the attacks.
"The Iranian regime is one of the world's largest state sponsors of terrorism, and it poses a threat to its own people, the security of our country, and the security of our allies around the world. But confronting this threat, and keeping our service members safe in the process, requires the support of the American people through coordination with Congress, which has the sole power to declare war under our system of government," Hassan said.
Hassan explained that going to war with Iran should be a "last resort" after other options have been thoroughly exhausted.
"And to sustain and win a war requires an informed and unified public at home as well as strong and healthy international alliances. Rather than ensure that both of these fundamental conditions are met, President Trump has recklessly rushed to war," Hassan said in a statement.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, a ranking member of the Committee on Foreign Relations, said that while she is not sad to see the Iranian regime go, she is concerned about Trump's strategy.
"While the long-term strategy was similarly not articulated or clearly planned for before the strikes in Venezuela, Iran is very different - and much more dangerous with a large missile arsenal, more sophisticated armed forces and a network of proxy groups."
Shaheen said that the President has not addressed important questions about the military operation.
"The American people expect and deserve better from their President."