Trump's Syria strikes might have been illegal, showing Congress has limited power to prevent war
Filed under: News, Politics, White House
- President Donald Trump's administration over the weekend carried out its second military strike on the Syrian government without even asking for permission from Congress.
- Congress has the sole constitutional authority to declare war, but most US military action since 2001 has been covered by a sweeping Authorization of Use of Military Force that covers actions against terror organizations linked to the 9/11 attacks.
- But the US attacked Syria's actual government, not a terror group, on Friday, which legal experts say stretches the framework of the law.
- Few congressional checks remain on Trump's ability to start wars, and a congressman told Business Insider the legislature is "derelict in its duty" for allowing this.
President Donald Trump's administration over the weekend carried out its second military strike on the Syrian government without asking for permission from Congress, and it could indicate the legislature has lost its ability to stop the president from going to war.
Congress 'derelict in its duty' as Trump doesn't even try to get approval
Possibly illegal strikes create a 'window' for the US's enemies
- Trump's Syria strike was a loud public spanking of the Assad government — but not much else
- Photos of US, UK, and French military strikes show just how close missiles got to Syria's capital city
- It looks like defense secretary James Mattis wants the record to show he urged Trump to be cautious with Syria air strikes