\n<\/p>\n
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a Democratic-led effort to bring a speedy end to U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s war against Iran.<\/p>\n
By a mostly party-line vote, 47-53, senators voted against beginning debate on a bipartisan Iran war powers resolution from Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted with Republicans against the measure. Moderate Republicans such as Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who previously voted with Democrats on war powers-related resolutions, did not cross the aisle this time.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
The U.S. Senate on Wednesday rejected a Democratic-led effort to bring a speedy end to U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s war against Iran.<\/p>\n
By a mostly party-line vote, 47-53, senators voted against beginning debate on a bipartisan Iran war powers resolution from Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine and Republican Sen. Rand Paul. Democratic Sen. John Fetterman voted with Republicans against the measure. Moderate Republicans such as Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who previously voted with Democrats on war powers-related resolutions, did not cross the aisle this time.<\/p>\n
The unsuccessful procedural vote ends\u2014for now\u2014Senate efforts to halt the war by using the legal powers provided to Congress under the 1973 War Powers Resolution.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is about whether senators are ready to send your sons and your daughters into harm\u2019s way,\u201d said Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in a floor speech. \u201cIf there was ever a moment for Senate Republicans to take a stand, it\u2019s now. The last thing the American people want or need is another war in the Middle East.\u201d<\/p>\n
A vote on a similar resolution, offered by Democratic Rep. Ro Khanna and Republican Rep. Thomas Massie, is expected to take place in the House on Thursday, where it faces similarly tight margins.<\/p>\n
The longer the fighting in the Middle East continues, the likelier it is that the U.S. Defense Department will have to ask Congress for emergency war spending outside of the regular budget process. If that happens, opponents of Trump\u2019s war will have greater leverage than they do now to try and constrain or obstruct the scope of fighting, which continues to expand five days into the conflict.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis weekend\u2019s events are not the beginning of a war but an intent to end one that spans nearly half a century,\u201d said Sen. Mitch McConnell, a former leader of the Senate\u2019s Republicans. \u201cThe Islamic Republic of Iran was quite literally founded on the premise of existential war against America and against Israel. \u2026This war belongs to the mullahs in Tehran.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
This post is part of FP\u2019s ongoing coverage<\/i>.\u00a0<\/i>Read more here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n