(Ken Silva, Headline USA) The House of Representatives passed a resolution Wednesday that critics warn would authorize war against Iran to prevent the country from acquiring nuclear weapons.
The resolution, passed in a vote of 354-53, authorizes the Biden administration to “use all means necessary to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.”
The resolution pointed out that Iran continues to enrich uranium to 60% purity. Uranium needs to be enriched at 90% for nuclear weapons, as noted by antiwar.com’s Dave DeCamp.
Three Republicans opposed the bill: Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Dan Bishop, R-NC, and Warren Davidson, R-Ohio.
Massie explained his reasons for voting against the resolution on social media. He warned that the U.S. could be repeating the same mistakes that led to the Vietnam and Iraq quagmires.
“We should remember the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which midwifed the disastrous Vietnam War,” Massie said.
“Yesterday’s Congressional Iran Resolution is eerily reminiscent of that resolution as well as the claims of WMDs that were used justify the second Gulf War.”
Rep. Bishop agreed with Massie, noting that the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution’s language was “arguably softer.”
The Gulf of Tonkin resolution authorized the President to take “all necessary measures to repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States.”
Along with the Gulf of Tonkin resolution, other congressional military authorizations have wound up being exploited by the executive branch to wage endless war.
For example, the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force—passed in response to the 9/11 terror attacks—has been used to justify military action in at least 22 countries, according to a study from Brown University.
The report said the 2001 AUMF was used to justify counterterrorism operations or airstrikes in eight countries: Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Syria, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, and Djibouti. In addition, the authorization has been cited in numerous counterterrorism “support” activities in 13 countries, including Chad, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Turkey.
The 2001 AUMF also is used to justify operations at the detention facility in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, the report stated.
Ken Silva is a staff writer at Headline USA. Follow him at twitter.com/jd_cashless.
