The US Senate for the first time has approved a war powers resolution seeking to block US military action against Iran, as politicians warily watch President Donald Trump’s efforts to resolve a conflict that the administration launched on its own and now needs Congress to fund.
It was the 10th time the Senate has tried to stop the war, and the outcome, on a vote of 50–48, was a stunning turnaround from past efforts.
While the resolution is largely symbolic and does not fully carry the force of law, it reflects the growing concerns from a number of Republican politicians in both the House and Senate over both the war and the deal Mr Trump struck with Iran to end it.
The House approved the resolution earlier this month.
“Time after time, the vast majority of Senate Republicans sided with Trump and his war instead of the American people,” said Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer.
Mr Schumer said Americans had paid the price for “Trump’s historic blunder in Iran. It’ll go down in the history books as one of the worst foreign policy forays America has ever made.”
In the past, as many as four Republican senators have voted for the war powers resolutions, and they did so on Tuesday, local time: Republicans Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.
One Democrat, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, voted against.
On this vote, the absence of two Republicans, including Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who was admitted to the hospital recently for an undisclosed matter, left the Republicans without a full majority to halt the effort.
Senator Dave McCormick also missed the vote.
The vote also comes as the Pentagon is seeking $US80 billion ($110 billion) from Congress mostly for the Iran war as it backfills munitions and stockpiles.
AP
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