President Donald Trump continues to drag the United States further into a mire of violent conflict with Iran. Seemingly forever completely engulfed in raging narcissistic obsessions, he is refusing to acknowledge just about any and all possible issues with his recent abruptly ordered airstrike that killed top Iranian General Qassem Soleimani. This weekend on Twitter, he bombastically asserted that he’s ready and willing to enact even more violence, and, to top it off, he implied that he will be seeking no Congressional consultation before launching these potential attacks, which he and his allies have previously asserted could or at least should include civilian targets — which is a war crime!
He tweeted:
‘These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner. Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!’
These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner. Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 5, 2020
Recently, he posted on Twitter that targets in Iran could include civilian cultural sites, attacks on which could easily entail the death of innocent, non-combatant foreigners who happened to get in the way of Trump proving a point.
The military adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader responded to President Donald Trump’s tweets threatening to strike 52 Iranian sites – including cultural sites – by threatening to strike 300 sites affiliated with the United States.
—@fpleitgenCNN reports
— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) January 5, 2020
He is blatantly wrong about the legal guidelines surrounding the violence that he is threatening to enact. Although few if any credible sources considered otherwise, Yale Law School Professor Oona Hathaway explained:
‘This tweet threatens to break several laws. First, the President cannot notify Congress under the War Powers Resolution by tweet. Second, he claims “[s]uch legal notice is not required.” That’s not true. Any time the president involves the armed forces into “hostilities,” he must–at a minimum–notify Congress within 48 hours… he is promising a “perhaps … disproportionate” strike in response–that’s another promise of an international law violation. Any action taken in self defense (the apparent justification for the strikes) must be necessary and proportionate to the threat posed. That any of this has to be said suggests just how insane this situation has become. Where are the White House, DoJ, DoD, State Dept. lawyers?’
This tweet threatens to break several laws. First, the President cannot notify Congress under the War Powers Resolution by tweet. 1/ https://t.co/tf5m8gXzCh
— Oona Hathaway (@oonahathaway) January 5, 2020
Third, he is also obligated to "in every possible instance . . . consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situation where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances . . ." under the WPR. 3/
— Oona Hathaway (@oonahathaway) January 5, 2020
That any of this has to be said suggests just how insane this situation has become. Where are the White House, DoJ, DoD, State Dept. lawyers? 5/5
— Oona Hathaway (@oonahathaway) January 5, 2020
Check out more Twitter responses to Trump…
