President Donald Trump has made it abundantly clear that he is leaving the decision as to whether or not he goes to war with Iran up to Saudi Arabia, a selling out of our military and misuse of war powers that George Conway mocked.
In the wake of a drone attack on a Saudi oil field, Trump took to Twitter announcing that he is waiting for the Saudis to tell him how to proceed.
Saudi Arabia oil supply was attacked. There is reason to believe that we know the culprit, are locked and loaded depending on verification, but are waiting to hear from the Kingdom as to who they believe was the cause of this attack, and under what terms we would proceed!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 15, 2019
Of course, it didn’t take long for Saudi intelligence to blame the attack on Iran, a nation both Trump and the Saudis have been itching to invade.
But the Saudis apparently want American troops to do all of the fighting and dying while they sit back and pay the bill as if our soldiers are paid mercenaries they can buy or rent. At least that’s what Trump suggested while speaking to reporters.
“Saudi Arabia pays cash,” he said. “We would certainly help them, they’ve been a great ally, they spent $400 billion in our country over the last number of years. $400 billion, that’s a million-and-a-half jobs.”
So, sending our Armed Forces to fight and die in a war that would be the next Vietnam is okay with him as long as the Saudis pay for it.
That’s not how the United States military is supposed to be used. It’s not a commodity that can be sold to the service of other countries. Trump, as president, does not even have the power to declare war.
Article I Section 8 of the Constitution clearly grants Congress the sole power “To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules concerning captures on land and water.”
In reaction to Trump’s new scheme, Kellyanne Conway’s husband George Conway mocked him by pointing out that Trump is now taking a Sharpie to the Constitution.
gosh, I went back to take a look at Art. I, sec. 8, cl. 11 of the Constitution, and it looks like someone recently amended it pic.twitter.com/2IYK00uLqJ
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) September 16, 2019
It’s a reference to Trump using a Sharpie to illegally alter a weather map in a desperate effort to appear right after falsely claiming that Alabama was in the path of Hurricane Dorian.
Vote vets also made their feelings clear by stating the facts:
Three Simple Points:
1. We have no defense treaty with Saudis.
2. An attack on them is not an attack on us.
3. Therefore, any military action in response to this event, w/o a vote by Congress, is illegal.
Members of Congress should not give Trump cover to launch illegal wars.
— VoteVets (@votevets) September 16, 2019
Selling our military should be an impeachable offense. It’s disgraceful to treat our brave men and women in uniform as if they are mercenaries Trump can sell into service of his favorite dictators. It’s time for Congress to act.
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