1. United States
2. N.Y.
3. Letter

I write again in urgent opposition to the expanding war with Iran—an illegal and reckless conflict initiated by the Trump administration without congressional authorization and without a credible justification presented to the American people. Recent reporting only deepens concern that this conflict is spiraling beyond control. Reports that the United States and Israel are considering arming ethnic minority militias inside Iran are particularly alarming. History offers a clear warning: external powers funding and arming militias inside a sovereign state rarely produce stability or democracy. More often it produces fragmentation, sectarian violence, and prolonged civil war. If pursued, this strategy could destabilize a nation of nearly 90 million people and ignite a humanitarian disaster far beyond Iran’s borders. At the same time, Israel is rapidly escalating military operations in Lebanon, displacing an estimated hundreds of thousands of civilians. There are growing fears among regional analysts that the current conflict is being used as cover for expanded operations that could lead to further territorial occupation in southern Lebanon. Congress must be clear: the United States cannot allow this war to become a vehicle for territorial expansion or mass displacement of Lebanese civilians. The Trump administration’s own rhetoric demonstrates how dangerously unmoored the strategy has become. The latest demand from the president is “unconditional surrender.” No serious analyst believes the Iranian regime will accept such a demand—particularly in response to airstrikes alone. In practical terms, that demand implies something far more dangerous: a ground invasion to force compliance. There are already troubling reports suggesting the administration is considering deploying U.S. ground forces. That must never happen. The United States has seen the consequences of open-ended wars in the Middle East before. The costs in lives, stability, and national credibility were immense. Launching another war of choice—this time against a much larger and more complex country—would be catastrophic. Although the recent War Powers votes failed in both chambers, Congress must understand that public support for this war has never existed. Polling consistently shows that Americans oppose it. That opposition will only grow as the economic consequences become clearer: rising oil prices, market instability, and economic uncertainty at home. Americans do not want another endless war in the Middle East. They want their government focused on the urgent challenges here at home—health care, housing, education, jobs, and protecting our environment. Congress must act immediately to reassert its constitutional authority. 1. Pass binding legislation prohibiting the deployment of U.S. ground forces in Iran without explicit congressional authorization. 2. Prohibit funding for programs that arm or support militia groups operating inside Iran. 3. Demand full transparency from the administration regarding the scope and objectives of current military operations. 4. Reassert congressional war powers and block further escalation of this conflict. 5. Make clear that U.S. support cannot be used to facilitate territorial expansion or civilian displacement in Lebanon or elsewhere in the region. This war was not authorized. It was not debated. And it is not supported by the American people. Congress must do its constitutional duty and stop this escalation before it leads to an even wider regional catastrophe. No war with Iran.