Members of Congress are preparing an authorization for the use of military force, even while acknowledging that it may perpetuate suffering in the Middle East.
by Edward Hunt, Foreign Policy In Focus
With the Biden administration facing a legally binding deadline of March 12 to end its acts of war in Yemen, officials in Congress are preparing to grant the administration the legal authorization to continue waging war in the immediate future.
At a February 27 Senate hearing, U.S. lawmakers indicated that they are working on a bill for the authorization of the use of military force, which would provide the Biden administration with the legal authority to continue airstrikes against the Houthis, a militant group in Yemen that has been attacking commercial ships in the Red Sea since the start of Israel’s military offensive in Gaza.
“The Constitution requires Congress to authorize acts of war,” Senator Christopher Murphy (D-CT) explained. Citing his preference for “a tailored, time-bound Congressional authorization,” the senator said that “I will be in discussions with my colleagues in the coming days to introduce such an authorization.”
Since January 11, the Biden administration has been directing airstrikes and other military operations against the Houthis, a militant group that controls much of Yemen. In several rounds of airstrikes, U.S. and British warplanes have attacked Houthi-controlled locations and infrastructure, including radars, air defense systems, and weapons storage facilities.
Recent Posts
By Retreating In The Funding Fight, Democrats Have Abandoned Their Most Loyal Constituents: D.C. Voters
Take Action Now In capitulating on the GOP funding bill, Democrats have hung their most core constituents out to dry.By Sam Rosenthal On Friday,…
We Can’t Assume That Trump Will Author His Own Undoing
Take Action Now There will surely be turf wars and palace intrigue within the administration, but there is little reason to think that its core…
The Arrest Of Mahmoud Khalil, A Zero Hour Conversation With Sonali Kolhatkar
Take Action Now Eskow and Kolhatkar argue that if this repression is not challenged, it will escalate, targeting more individuals and further eroding…
Five Years After COVID, The GOP Is The Anti-Vaccine Party
Take Action Now Despite the ongoing spread of COVID, measles and bird flu, Trump has handed power to anti-vaxxers and vaccine skeptics.By Sasha…