Boehner Continues to Cover for Obamas Illegal Wars As a Trojan Horse Lubricant for Obamas ISIS Fracking of America Sept. 28 (EIRNS)--Appearing on ABC News This Week, Speaker of the House John Boehner continued to provide cover for President Barack Obamas illegal war in Syria and Iraq. When pressed on why he has not called Congress back from recess to debate and vote on whether or not to authorize the already ongoing war against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, Boehner had the following exchange with host George Stephanopoulos: STEPHANOPOULOS: I know youve said that -- assuming youre speaker next year -- youd want to have a vote on a resolution -- why not now? BOEHNER: Id be happy to. The president typically in a situation like this would call for an authorization vote and go sell that to the American people and send a resolution to the Hill. The president has not done that. He believes he has authority under existing resolutions to do what hes done. STEPHANOPOULOS: You dont agree? BOEHNER: I think he does have the authority to do it. But the point Im making is this is a proposal that the Congress ought to consider. STEPHANOPOULOS: Our reporter Jeff Zeleny has talked to a couple sources on Capitol Hill -- said you and other leaders actually warned that if it came up now it would splinter both parties and might not pass. BOEHNER: I did not suggest that to anybody in my caucus, or to the president for that matter. STEPHANOPOULOS: So to be clear -- if the president put a resolution forward now, youd call Congress back? BOEHNER: Id bring the Congress back. Such sophistry is not selling well with the American people, with some leading members of Congress, or even with the usual political pundits. Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) appeared on Face the Nation shortly after Boehners ABC interview was aired, and he made very clear that no war can be legitimately started by a president without first getting Congressional authorization. He noted that the Founding Fathers broke with all prior history by giving Congress the sole authority to declare war. The Founders insisted that there be a political consensus that the mission was worth fighting. The President, he emphasized, has no authority to bring the country to war--and he added that the 2001 and 2002 authorizations for the use of military force are no longer applicable. He noted that he is one of a number of Senators and Representatives who have put resolutions before Congress to repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs and to replace them with a very narrow and time restricted new authorization. Kaine contrasted Obamas statements as a candidate in 2008, when he was clear that only Congress has the authority, to his current position. Kaine also held Congress culpable for leaving town on Sept. 18 in the midst of a war. On Sept. 25, the House Progressive Caucus, the largest caucus in either House, issued a statement after Speaker Boehner said that he would not hold a vote on war powers until the new Congress is sworn in next year. The statement read: Speaker Boehner should recognize the gravity of this situation and call members of Congress back to Washington to vote on ongoing military actions in Iraq and Syria. Congress needs to fulfill its constitutional duties by having a robust debate and a vote on Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that is tailored to these specific actions. Military authorization from a decade ago should not justify war policy today. Americans are wary of any expanded military campaigns and their voices should be heard through their elected representatives.
Posted on: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 16:55:13 +0000
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