4 Republicans defect, vote against Trump's Iran war in Senate
What's the story
The United States Senate has advanced a resolution to curtail President Donald Trump's war powers in Iran. The measure was passed with a 50-47 vote, with four Republican senators, Susan Collins, Lisa Murkowski, Rand Paul and Bill Cassidy, breaking ranks to support it. Three Republicans, John Cornyn, Tommy Tuberville and Thom Tillis, skipped voting, shifting the balance in Democrats' favor for the first time since they began introducing war powers motions related to Iran.
Withdrawal proposal
Resolution unlikely to be enacted, as Trump expected to veto
The resolution, spearheaded by Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, seeks to direct the president to withdraw US Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran unless authorized by a declaration of war or specific military force authorization. The vote was merely the first step in the Senate. Even if both chambers pass the resolution, the president is expected to veto it.
Political impact
'Republicans are starting to crack'
But Democrats say that the decision is significant and has the ability to shift the president's views about the war. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the vote showed that "Republicans are starting to crack, and momentum is building to check him." "While I support the administration's efforts to dismantle Iran's nuclear program, the White House and Pentagon have left Congress in the dark on Operation Epic Fury," Cassidy wrote on social media after the vote.
Attack delay
US will not carry out 'scheduled' attacks on Iran
The vote occurred after the president said on Monday that the US will not carry out "scheduled" attacks on Iran on Tuesday, though he did say that he was "an hour away" from deciding whether to launch the new strikes. Kaine said the threat renders it "the perfect time to do what we should have done in February, and have a congressional discussion about rationale, plan, straits."