- United States
- Ohio
- Letter
The President of the United States is required to receive authorization of the Congress to declare war (US Constitution Article 1, Section 8). Even as Commander in Chief of the US Armed Forces, the President is not a king. The decision today to bomb 3 Iranian sites weakens US and global security and risks dragging our armed forces into further conflict. War powers in the US are divided between the executive and the legislative branches. The bombings are unconstitutional. If there was imminent danger to peace and security, the President should have convened Congressional leaders for secure briefings. Statements ---from Republican and Democratic leaders of Congress --- suggest that this check on executive power was ignored. We call on our elected representatives to challenge this unchecked action and demand accountability.