Congress members split over US attack on Iran

WASHINGTON – Republican and Democratic members of the US Congress delivered swift reactions to US bombings of Iranian nuclear facilities early on June 22.

The following are statements from key lawmakers:

Senate Armed Services Committee chairman Roger Wicker

The Republican from Mississippi applauded the operation but cautioned that the US now faces “very serious choices ahead”.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Jim Risch

“This war is Israel’s war, not our war, but Israel is one of our strongest allies and is disarming Iran for the good of the world,” said the Republican from Idaho.

“This is not the start of a forever war. There will not be American boots on the ground in Iran.”

Mr Thomas Massie, Republican from Kentucky

“This is not constitutional,” he said on social media. He was referring to the power of Congress to declare war on foreign countries.

US House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson

“The President gave Iran’s leader every opportunity to make a deal, but Iran refused to commit to a nuclear disarmament agreement,” said the Republican from Louisiana.

“The President’s decisive action prevents the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism, which chants ‘Death to America’ from obtaining the most lethal weapon on the planet.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune

The South Dakota Republican said: “I stand with President Trump.”

Ms Rashida Tlaib, Democrat from Michigan

A daughter of Palestinian immigrants, she said President Trump sending US troops to bomb Iran without the consent of Congress is a blatant violation of the US Constitution.

“The American people do not want another forever war. We have seen where decades of endless war in the Middle East get us – all based on the lie of ‘weapons of mass destruction’,” she added.

Senator Tim Kaine, Democrat from Virginia

He said the US public “is overwhelmingly opposed to the US waging war on Iran” and added that Mr Trump displayed “horrible judgment”. REUTERS