Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-CA) took to Twitter in a series of tweets Friday to demand “specific evidence” from President Donald Trump to support the reason for eliminating Qassem Soleimani.
The Commander in Chief ordered the attack that killed the Iranian military mastermind, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ elite Quds Force, that was killed in an airstrike at Baghdad International Airport Thursday night.
Rep. Swalwell wrote on Twitter: “The U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani in Baghdad is a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region, and a departure from our longstanding foreign policy practices, undertaken without any congressional notice or approval.”
“No American family will mourn Suleimani’s loss, but every family should be concerned this killing brings America closer to a war we must avoid. I was briefed Friday as a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, but I still have many questions,” he continued.
“The President must show Americans whatever specific intelligence he has to support his action; a legal justification for acting without proper congressional authorization for military force; & a strategic rationale w/ a concrete plan for dealing with its inevitable consequences,” Swalwell demanded.
Former Navy SEAL and Texas Republican Congressman, Dan Crenshaw, replied to Swalwell saying, “Ok, I’ll take this one,” and gave 3 reasons that justify the President’s command. (Continued Below)
“Ok, I’ll take this one: 1. They just attacked our Embassy 2. War Powers Resolution 3. Disrupt their systematic escalation of violence against us and ensure they know attacks will be met with consequences. Pretty simple,” Rep. Crenshaw responded to Swalwell on Twitter Saturday.
On New Year’s Eve, President Trump took “anti-Benghazi” action and threatened Iran, saying that the country “will pay a very BIG PRICE!” after the break-in at the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad.
Trump has blamed Iran for the embassy breach in which dozens of Iraqi Shiite militiamen and their supporters broke into the U.S. Embassy, smashing a main door and setting fire to a reception area in one of the worst attacks on the embassy in recent years, reported Fox News. (Continued Below)
Pertaining to Rep. Crenshaws’ tweet on the “War Powers Resolution”, Wikipedia reports:
The War Powers Resolution (also known as the War Powers Resolution of 1973 or the War Powers Act) (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548) is a federal law intended to check the president’s power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress. The Resolution was adopted in the form of a United States Congressional joint resolution.
It provides that the U.S. President can send the Armed Forces into action abroad only by declaration of war by Congress, “statutory authorization,” or in case of “a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.”
The War Powers Resolution requires the President to notify Congress within 48 hours of committing armed forces to military action and forbids armed forces from remaining for more than 60 days, with a further 30-day withdrawal period, without a Congressional authorization for use of military force (AUMF) or a declaration of war by the United States. The resolution was passed by two-thirds of each of the House and Senate, overriding the veto of the bill from President Nixon.
In 2011, former President Barack Obama initiated a military action in Libya without congressional authorization. (Video Below)
Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s official tweet:
Ok, I’ll take this one:
1. They just attacked our Embassy
2. War Powers Resolution
3. Disrupt their systematic escalation of violence against us and ensure they know attacks will be met with consequences.Pretty simple. https://t.co/xfGLG3BIzO
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) January 5, 2020
Rep. Eric Swalwell’s official tweets:
The U.S. airstrike that killed Iranian Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani in Baghdad is a dramatic escalation of tensions in the region, and a departure from our longstanding foreign policy practices, undertaken without any congressional notice or approval.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 3, 2020
The President must show Americans whatever specific intelligence he has to support his action; a legal justification for acting without proper congressional authorization for military force; & a strategic rationale w/ a concrete plan for dealing with its inevitable consequences.
— Rep. Eric Swalwell (@RepSwalwell) January 3, 2020
(Video Below)
Rep. Dan Crenshaw slams Democrat apologists over Soleimani strike:
