Posted on 08/13/2014 2:54:48 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) on Wednesday said President Obama does not need approval from Congress for the limited U.S. airstrikes taking place in Iraq.
"Well, I don't think congressional approval is needed for the type of targeted airstrikes the president's conducting right now," he said on MSNBC.
The ranking Budget Committee member was pushing back on the assertion raised by Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) a day earlier. Like a number of other Democratic leaders, Van Hollen said Obama "would want to come back to Congress" if the mission expanded, which the congressman said he doubts.
He noted that the president has already consulted with Congress about the strikes targeting the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, which has taken over parts of the country.
"I think the president has also been very clear he's not going to do a whole lot more," he said. "We're not talking about boots on the ground. And he is going to consult with Congress."
On Tuesday, Kaine said the administration needs to get approval from Congress for the current campaign, noting that he introduced legislation in January to clarify the War Powers Act.
Though the administration has said it would like to update the 2002 Iraq Authorization of Use of Military Force, it remains in effect.
"There's a distinction here between what the president can do and what he should do," Van Hollen said. "The authorization to use force in Iraq is still in effect, in place. A lot of us have been trying to repeal it or scale it back. So the president could do a lot more than he's doing, legally."
The United States began airstrikes last week to protect U.S. personnel in Iraq and to help protect members of the Yazidi minority from genocide.
The Pentagon sent another 130 advisers to the country on Tuesday to help with humanitarian relief options for the civilians.
NO BLOOD FOR POLITICS!
What difference does it make even if he did require Congressional approval??? NONE.
Evacuate them.
Timmy Kaine just told us the President DID need approval. Which is it? Or are you both just guessing?
Van Hollen was telling Kaine to get back onboard with the party line.
Hollen! The most despicable Dem besides Debby W.S. to to spew the daily Dem. talking points in an interview!
Democrats and the Mainstream Press wouldn’t give a Republican press a pass for bypassing congress.
IMAGINE THAT
What are the folk to do?
Yet on July 25, 2014 Susan Rice sent a letter to John Boehner requesting they pass legislation to REVOKE the authorization for military force in Iraq!! This is less than a month ago!! ha ha ha
Really, Chris? Check today's headlines yet?
"We're not talking about boots on the ground.
Yes, we are.
And he is going to consult with Congress."
No, he isn't.
My, my. 0bama has moved from doing everything Nixon was accused of to doing everything Bush was accused of. I'm not sure that's progress. But it is funny watching his flying monkeys do acrobatic contortions trying to deny it.
I think the problem that DEMOCRATS have with Obama getting involved here is that Obama is actually on the side of the non-Muslims (and, even worse, Christians).
...that CANNOT be tolerated, even if Obama is making this move solely to protect Democrat seats in November.
It says in all in his first words “Well, I don’t think”
Will Obama be condemned for killing 1000’s of Isis terrorists like Israel has been condemned for killing Hamas terrorists?
disproportionate force.... we should be sharing aircraft carriers with them I guess...
These sure are HAWKISH little democrats now aren’t they?
So what was the excuse for Ben Ghazi again?
What to do about ISIS anywhere they gather in great numbers.
A moabist proposal
Massive Ordinance Air Blast, aka "Mother of all bombs"
Nobody knows. This is truly one of those expediency arguments and whoever’s ‘side’ is in the WH says it’s OK and the other side says it’s not.
It’s been insane since Korea when it was no longer necessary to declare war. They there is the War Powers Act.
This is something that will never be fully litigated as both sides want the power.
Another brilliant Obama military strategist heard from. Missed him in Nam and my son didn’t see him in Iraq. He must have been taking a long crap back then.
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