#congressional-authorization

#congressional-authorization

The Trump administration can't say why the United States went to war with Iran, and it can't say what the goal of the war is. Now it can't even decide whether the war is still going on. During an interview with CBS News yesterday afternoon, President Trump all but declared victory. "I think the war is very complete, pretty much," he said.

Once again, in direct violation of the United States Constitution, President Donald Trump has ordered attacks against Iran without congressional authorization. This marks the second instance this year in which the president has undertaken military action without the approval of Congress, an action that should concern all Americans.

Wiles, in a piece published Dec. 16 by Vanity Fair, was questioned by writer Chris Whipple about the strikes on suspected Venezuelan narco-boats. Wiles defended those strikes. I'm saying that this is a war on drugs, Wiles told Whipple. [It's] unlike another one that we've seen. But that's what this is. Obviously it's a war declared only by the president and without any congressional approval, Whipple replied.

Congress has made narcotics importation a serious felony crime fit for prosecution in the civilian courts. It has not authorized the executive branch to treat it as an armed attack to be countered by American military power. Obviously, narcotics trafficking is a significant crime problem, but American users obtain illegal narcotics voluntarily and, usually, nonviolently. The importation and distribution of illegal drugs is simply not analogous to a missile strike or other violent mass-murder attack, he wrote.