On January 3 2020 President Donald Trump authorized a drone strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, General of the Iranian army in Iraq. There were a wide range of reactions here in the United States. There was criticism that we killed a diplomat. His death was equaled to the deaths of Elvis and Princess Diana . This is the U.S. media, mind you. Qasem Soleimani was first designated a terrorist and sanctioned by the U.S. in 2005 for his role as a supporter of terrorism .
Qasem Soleimani had links to Russia in regards to providing intelligence against Syria. Providing militants information on disrupting United States caravans in Iraq with IED’s. You get the idea, he is linked to maybe 1100 U.S. military deaths
.Let’s take a couple of steps back before we finish. After the 2001 terrorist attacks Congress passed the Use of Force Authorization Act. The joint resolution, adopted unanimously in the Senate and 420-1 in the House, authorized President Bush to “use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks” as well as against anyone who “harbored” them. So this was never removed or undone by Congress.
Now let’s take a look at the War Powers Act. War Powers Resolution of 1973 or the War Powers Act) (50 U.S.C. 1541–1548) is a federal law intended to check the U.S. president’s power to commit the United States to an armed conflict without the consent of the U.S. Congress. The definition of armed conflict is: An armed conflict is a contested incompatibility that concerns government. and/or territory where the use of armed force between two parties, of which at least one is the government of a state, results in at least 25 battle-related deaths in one calendar year. Well, 9 folks were dispatched on January 3rd. Iran’s response of two missiles did not kill anyone.
Since taking out Qasem Soleimani the House of Representatives has looked to expand on the War Powers Act. Nancy Pelosi says she was never informed of the strike that took out Qasem Soleimani. There are other reports that say she refused to take a call from Vice President Mike Pence on the day of the strike.
Here is my take. Both sides, to my surprise, have come out against President Trump in the strike. I think if you look at the evidence I presented earlier in this article President Trump was well within his rights to take out Qasem Soleimani. Congress did not need to be notified or regardless of your politics answer the phone!!