WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th January, 2020) The US House of Representatives adopted a war powers resolution to limit President Donald Trump's ability to carry out military action against Iran without the prior approval of Congress.
The House voted 224-194 on Thursday, with 13 votes outstanding, in favor of the resolution, introduced by Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin, who has previously served as a CIA analyst specialized in Shia militias, as well as acting assistant secretary of defense for international security affairs.
The resolution "directs the president to terminate the use of force to engage in hostilities in or against Iran or any part of its government or military" unless he receives prior authorization to do so from Congress, according to the text of the bill.
Relations between Iran and the US became severely aggravated in early January after Washington conducted an airstrike to kill Iran's top general, Qasem Soleimani. On Wednesday, Iran launched missiles at two bases housing American troops in Iraq in retaliation for Soleimani's assassination.
The resolution calls Soleimani "the lead architect of much of Iran's destabilizing activities throughout the world." The document acknowledges Washington's right to protect its interests.
However, the killing of Soleimani and Iran's ballistic missile attack on military bases in Iraq "risks significant escalation in hostilities between the United States and Iran," the resolution said.
The resolution requires Trump to consult with Congress before making military actions against Iran. "Congress has not authorized the President to use military force against Iran," it said.
Congress passed the original war powers resolution in 1973 in response to US military actions in the Vietnam War.
