War With Iran Should Be Determined by Congressional Debate, Not Presidential Whim
The debate over a U.S role in Israel’s war with Iran raises two big questions: 1) Should the U.S. intervene? 2) Who gets to make that decision? At stake are human lives, expense, and potential repercussions. The second question also involves constitutional responsibilities long neglected by Congress in favor of letting presidents take credit, or blame, for military actions. While President Donald Trump seems inclined to continue the tradition of unilateral warmaking, lawmakers skeptical of U.S. intervention are asserting themselves. They’re right that the legislative branch should have a say.
An ‘Existential Threat’ to Israel
Last week, Israel attacked Iran because its security agencies believe the country is poised to build nuclear weapons—an existential threat in their eyes given the many promises Iran’s rulers have made to destroy “the Zionist regime.” While Israelis have long fretted about Iran’s nuclear ambitions, they’ve also done their best to slow their progress; those efforts have reached their limit, they say.
Supporting Israel’s claims is the International Atomic Energy Agency’s recent criticism of “Iran’s many failures to uphold its obligations” regarding its nuclear programs and warnings of “the rapid accumulation of highly enriched uranium by Iran, the only State without nuclear weapons that is producing such material.”
But even without nuclear weapons, Israelis have good reason to consider Iran’s government a dangerous enemy. It has threatened to destroy Israel and acted to kill Israelis through regional proxies.
“Hamas has been one of the primary vehicles supported by the Islamic Republic of Iran in its strategy of confronting Israel on multiple fronts, with at least three fronts established since the 1980s,” Arman Mahmoudian of the University of South Florida Global and National Security Institute wrote after the October 7 attack on Israel. Hezbollah is another terrorist group for which Iran is the “chief benefactor.”
So, as casus belli go, Israel has legitimate reason for targeting Iran’s government.
Should the U.S. Get Involved?
Whether the U.S. should support Israel’s efforts is another matter. Israel wants American assistance—especially in taking out the underground Fordo uranium enrichment facility. U.S. bunker-buster bombs may be the most effective way to destroy a site buried under a mountain. But is that enough reason for Americans born
Article from Reason.com
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