Tester backs resolution requiring congressional authorization of use of force in Iraq

Montana’s Democratic Sen. Jon Tester has joined a group telling President Donald Trump he has to have authorization from Congress before any hostilities with Iran.

The resolution Tester is backing requires any hostilities with Iran be explicitly authorized by a congressional declaration of war or specific authorization of use of military force, a release from Tester’s office said.

The resolution was introduced in the midst of heightened tensions in the Middle East, with Iran firing missiles Tuesday into military bases in Iraq where U.S. troops are housed in retaliation for the U.S. killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani and several others with a drone strike in a Baghdad airport.

Sunday, Iraq’s parliament voted to expel U.S. military from the country, two days after the U.S. strike in Iraq killed Soleimani.

Iran stated the missile attacks were in retaliation for the killing of Soleimani and warned the U.S. and other nations not to retaliate.

Associated Press reports that Trump said this morning from the White House that he would not retaliate militarily for Iran’s missile strikes, using new economic sanctions instead.

He said no Americans or Iraqis were killed in Tuesday’s missile attacks.

In a release about the resolution he is backing, Tester said the president must seek congressional authorization to use force.

“The American people — and the service members who will be sent halfway across the world to defend us — deserve a transparent debate and vote by the folks who represent them in Congress about whether it’s in our national interest to fight yet another war in the Middle East,” Tester said. “While the world is better off without Qassim Soleimani, his killing without consultation with Congress or our closest allies cannot become the sole justification for an unconstitutional war with enormous consequences to American taxpayers and our military.”

U.S. Rep. Greg Gianforte, R-Mont., said he stands by Trump in the current crisis.

“I’m monitoring the situation in Iraq and praying for our service men and women,” he said in a statement released to The Havre Daily News this morning. “The United States stands squarely with our brave troops and squarely against terrorists who want to kill Americans. I support President Trump who has been clear to the terrorist regime in Iran that he will not tolerate attacks against our forces.”

He said he also stands by Friday’s killing of the Iranian general.

“I support President Trump’s decisive action to protect American lives and kill Soleimani, a vile terrorist who had decades worth of American blood on his hands,” Gianforte Said. “It’s better to take a firm, strong stance against terror as President Trump did, instead of flying in pallets of cash to a terrorist state.”

U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., tweeted his support of the killing of the Iraqi generaly.

“Soleimani was an evil terrorist who killed Americans,” he tweeted. “#Iran’s Quds Force was mistaken not to take warnings from POTUS seriously — they chose the path of escalation. Proud of @realDonaldTrump for taking this defensive action to protect American lives & our allies. The United States has the strongest military in the world. God bless our troops and God bless the United States of Americ.”

He also commented on his support of the U.S. military.

"I want to thank our brave men and women in uniform for protecting this nation," Daines said in a statement sent to the Havre Daily this morning. "It's about peace through strength. I support President Trump maintaining a maximum pressure campaign against the Iranian regime to keep Americans and our allies safe."

A release from the U.S. Department of Defense said the killing of Soleimani, the head of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force which the United States has designated as a terrorist organization, was to prevent deaths of Americans.

“General Soleimani was actively developing plans to attack American diplomats and service members in Iraq and throughout the region,” a statement released Friday said. “Gen. Soleimani and his Quds Force were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of American and coalition service members and the wounding of thousands more.”

Members of Congress have called on the Trump Administration to release details to determine if the killing was justified.

News agencies report representatives of the Trump Administration are scheduled to brief members of Congress on Soliemani’s killing and the latest developments in the situation.