Washington, DC – Ryan Costello, Policy Director with the National Iranian American Council, issued the following statement after Sen. Booker’s war powers resolution directing President Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran failed, 47 – 53, matching the tally for the Kaine-Paul resolution two weeks ago.
“Two more weeks of war have provided further confirmation of what we know to be true: this war was started on false pretenses without Congressional or UN authorization, is an abject disaster for the American and Iranian people and has no real direction other than to pull the entire Middle East into a bloodbath. 13 U.S. servicemembers have died, hundreds more have been injured, thousands of civilians have been killed, and President Trump’s own Counterterrorism chief has resigned in protest over the war.
“Yet 53 Senators have chosen to be accomplices to Trump’s disastrous war, despite all the evidence before their eyes, by continuing to allow this war to go forward.
“We have to ask the Senators who voted for this, how much is enough before they will break from this disastrous mistake?
“How many more civilians have to die in Iran, Israel and the broader Middle East?
“How many American servicemembers need to be killed and maimed before this war is over?
“How much money will be spent just to spread death, destruction and misery?
“How expensive must gas and groceries get before they finally stand up against this madness?
“The President has the power to end this today, but 53 Senators shirked their Constitutional duties by backing this illegal, disastrous war of choice. We applaud the 47 Senators, including Sen. Cory Booker, for forcing this vote this evening and vowing to continue to challenge this war until it ends. It is nothing less than what the American people, the Iranian people and our shared humanity deserves.”
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