On Feb. 28, President Trump, in coordination with Israel's Prime Minister Netanyahu, launched a massive, premeditated, illegal U.S. military attack on Iran aimed at removing top leadership and degrading Iran's conventional military capabilities.
It is too early to know how this widening conflict will play out, but a few things are clear:
- This was an illegal war of choice. It was not authorized, or even debated, by Congress as required by Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution and the 1973 War Powers Act, It is a grave violation of international law, including the UN Charter.
- The Trump administration has offered weak and shifting justifications for its war aims. In recent days they have claimed, without credible evidence, that Iran had restarted its nuclear program, had enough available nuclear material to enable it to build a bomb within days and was developing long-range missiles that could "soon" be capable of hitting the United States. Independent experts agree with ACA's analysis that all three of these claims are false.
- There was no imminent nuclear or long-range missile threat that justified the attack on nonproliferation grounds. In fact, the ongoing war will further delay the return of IAEA inspectors. Without effective monitoring, the whereabouts and security of Iran's nuclear material will now become even more uncertain.
- This was the second time the United States launched attacks in the midst of ongoing U.S.-Iranian negotiations regarding Tehran's nuclear program. Just hours before Trump launched the attack, Omani mediators reported the talks were serious and a good deal was within reach if the two sides continued to negotiate in good faith.
- Although Iran's current leadership is repressive and the Iranian people deserve to choose their own government, war is not the answer.
- This Wednesday, the House and Senate have votes planned on bipartisan War Powers Resolutions -- S.J. Res. 104 and H. Con. Res. 38) -- to halt U.S. military operations that have not been authorized by Congress.
Each of us has an opportunity to act now to help end this war.
Please call and and write your Senators and Representatives today and ask them to support these important resolutions.