Right now we are having the usual partisan blustering on Capitol Hill regarding the legal justification of the Administration’s actions in joining Israel to flatten Iran and any aspirations it might have for nuclear weapons.
Let’s have a look at their points of view.
Democrats’ Arguments
Democrats argue that the U.S. strikes on Iran in late February 2026, conducted in coordination with Israel and aimed at regime change, were illegal and unconstitutional because they lacked prior congressional authorization. They emphasize that the Constitution grants Congress the sole authority to declare war, and there was no demonstrated imminent threat from Iran to justify unilateral presidential action.
Lawmakers like Sen. Tim Kaine and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries are pushing for immediate votes on War Powers Resolutions to block further military actions without explicit congressional consent, viewing the strikes as a “war of choice” that risks unnecessary escalation. They condemn the operation as a violation of oversight norms, with representatives from states like Massachusetts and Hawaii calling for Congress to reclaim its role in war decisions.
They claim that closed-door briefings revealed no intelligence of Iranian plans to attack the U.S., reinforcing their stance that the president overstepped bounds, and they advocate for reforms to the War Powers Act to prevent future unilateral escalations.
Republicans’ Arguments
Republicans are divided on the U.S. strikes against Iran, with some supporting the president’s authority to act decisively in foreign affairs, particularly in response to Iran’s nuclear ambitions and regional threats, without needing immediate congressional approval for defensive or preemptive measures.
However, others express concerns over the lack of authorization, fearing uncontrolled escalation and aligning with bipartisan efforts like those from Rep. Thomas Massie to require congressional sign-off for sustained conflicts.
Massie’s position aligns more closely with Democratic critiques than with the majority Republican support for the president’s actions.
So, while mixed, the supportive faction views the operation as necessary for national security, but the party as a whole has not introduced retroactive authorization bills, focusing instead on ongoing briefings and heightened Capitol security amid potential repercussions.
Critics within the party argue that any prolonged engagement should involve Congress to maintain constitutional balance, though they acknowledge the president’s role in addressing imminent dangers, even if intelligence did not confirm an immediate Iranian attack.
In case any one is bothering to keep count. We have been at war for 47 years, not helped by gutless presidents like Carter and Clinton and straight-up corrupt ones like Obama and Biden.
Terrorist Attacks and Proxy Conflicts (1983–2024)
- 1983 – U.S. Embassy Bombing (Beirut, Lebanon): 63 killed. Iran-backed Hezbollah/Islamic Jihad suicide car bomb. 17 were Americans.
- 1983 – U.S. Marine Barracks Bombing (Beirut, Lebanon): 241 killed. Hezbollah truck bomb. The deadliest single-day loss for the U.S. Marines since Iwo Jima.
- 1983 – French Paratrooper Barracks (Beirut, Lebanon): 58 killed. Same day. Same terrorists. Same orders from Tehran.
- 1984 – Kuwait Airways Hijacking (Diverted to Tehran): 2 killed. Hezbollah hijackers. American USAID officials executed.
- 1984 – U.S. Embassy Annex Bombing (Beirut, Lebanon): 24 killed. Hezbollah strikes again.
- 1985 – TWA Flight 847 Hijacking (Mediterranean/Beirut): 1 killed. U.S. Navy diver Robert Stethem beaten and shot. His body thrown on the tarmac.
- 1989 – Murder of Col. William Higgins (Lebanon): 1 killed. U.S. Marine kidnapped during a UN peacekeeping mission. Executed by Hezbollah.
- 1992 – Israeli Embassy Bombing (Buenos Aires, Argentina): 29 killed. Hezbollah/Iran. Terror exported to South America.
- 1994 – AMIA Jewish Center Bombing (Buenos Aires, Argentina): 85 killed. The deadliest terrorist attack in Argentine history. Iran and Hezbollah. Confirmed.
- 1994 – Panama Commuter Flight Bombing (Panama): 21 killed. Hezbollah/Iran targeting Jewish passengers.
- 1995 – Hamas Bus Bombing – Kfar Darom (Gaza Strip): 8 killed. Hamas funded and armed by Iran.
- 1995 – Hamas Bus Bombing – Jerusalem (Jerusalem, Israel): 6 killed. Including an American citizen.
- 1996 – Hamas Bus Bombing (Jerusalem, Israel): 26 killed. 3 Americans among the dead.
- 1996 – Khobar Towers Bombing (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia): 19 killed. 5,000 lbs of explosives. Hezbollah Al-Hijaz – an Iranian proxy. 500 wounded.
- 1997 – Ben Yehuda Mall Bombing (Jerusalem, Israel): 5 killed. Hamas suicide bombers. Iran-funded.
- 1998 – U.S. Embassy Bombings (Kenya and Tanzania): 224 killed. Al-Qaeda carried it out. Hezbollah provided the training. Iran facilitated. 12 Americans dead.
- 2000 – USS Cole Bombing (Aden, Yemen): 17 killed. Al-Qaeda attack. U.S. courts found Iran liable – operatives trained in Hezbollah camps.
- 2003 – U.S. Diplomats Killed (Gaza Strip): 3 killed. Iran-backed Popular Resistance Committees. Targeted Americans directly.
- 2003 – Hamas Bus Bombing (Jerusalem, Israel): 24 killed. 5 Americans among the dead. Iran-backed Hamas.
- 2003-2011 – Iraq War Iranian Proxy Attacks (Iraq): 608+ Americans killed. Confirmed by the Pentagon. EFPs, IEDs, rockets – all supplied by Iran. Thousands of Iraqis also killed.
- 2006 – Second Lebanon War Attacks (Northern Israel/Lebanon): 165+ killed. Hezbollah launched 4,000+ rockets into Israeli cities. Backed, armed, and directed by Tehran.
- 2012 – Israeli Tourist Bus Bombing (Burgas, Bulgaria): 6 killed. Hezbollah/Iran. Terror on European soil.
- 2014 – Bahrain Bomb Attack (Bahrain): 3 killed. Iran-backed Al-Ashtar Brigades. Two Bahraini police officers and one UAE officer.
- 2015-Present – Houthi Campaign (Yemen/Red Sea/Gulf): Thousands killed. Iran arms, funds, and directs the Houthis. Civilian massacres, shipping attacks, drone strikes across the region.
- 2020 – PS752 Ukrainian Airlines Shootdown (Tehran, Iran): 176 killed. IRGC shot down a civilian airliner – then lied about it for days. 176 innocent people. Gone.
- 2023 – October 7th Hamas Massacre (Southern Israel): 1,200 killed. The worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust. Hamas planned it. Iran funded it, trained them, and armed them with weapons.
- 2024 – Ongoing Proxy Attacks on U.S. Bases (Iraq, Syria, Jordan): 3 killed + hundreds wounded. 180+ attacks since October 2023. Iran-backed militias targeting American soldiers.