Afghanistan Veteran and Former Congressman Max Rose on Casualties in Iran War
“This is precisely why the Constitution says the president must go to Congress before initiating a war.”
“Congress must initiate war powers consideration immediately, to include an in-depth review of this president’s war plan. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today.”
“Our hearts are heavy with the news that US servicemembers have been killed by the Iranian response to strikes, and more are wounded. Our thoughts are with all of those in harm’s way and their families, who sacrifice so much for America.
“This needs to be very blunt and very clear – the risk that American service members’ lives in this war was clear from the start. This is precisely why the Constitution says the president must go to Congress before initiating a war. Our Founders put the decision to send our troops off to war in the hands of the people and our representatives. As someone who served on the ground in Afghanistan and as a Member of Congress, there is perhaps no more solemn and serious duty delegated to Congress than that.
“The Congressional vote isn’t just a formality, either. It forces the president and military to come up with an articulated plan, goals, metrics, an exit strategy, and more. It is designed to help stop the wasteful forever wars that this nation has endured for decades, which claimed the lives of thousands of Americans now at rest at national cemeteries and the tens of thousands more still living with the wounds of war.
“The violation of the Constitution by Donald Trump has now resulted in the deaths of our troops. It must end. Congress must initiate war powers consideration immediately, to include an in-depth review of this president’s war plan. Not tomorrow, not next week. Today. Speaker Johnson and Senator Thune should call everyone back to vote today, before more American troops die in Trump’s war.”