Democrats slam Biden for launching airstrikes in Syria without asking Congress

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US Air Force F-22 fighter jets fly in formation during a military aircraft overflight over the Hudson River and New York Harbor beyond York and New Jersey, United States, the July 4, 2020.

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Some Senate Democrats on Friday criticized President Joe Biden’s decision to launch an airstrike in Syria Thursday night without speaking with the whole of Congress.

The Pentagon briefed congressional leaders ahead of the action, according to a National Security Council spokesperson. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s staff were briefed ahead of the strike, according to a Democratic aide.

Senator Tim Kaine, D-Va., Requested a briefing from the Biden administration on Friday on the decision-making behind the airstrikes.

“The American people deserve to hear the administration’s justification for these strikes and its legal justification for acting without coming to Congress. Offensive military action without Congressional approval is unconstitutional absent extraordinary circumstances. “read a statement from Kaine’s office. Kaine is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

There will be a full classified briefing early next week, the NSC spokesperson said.

Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., Chairman of the foreign relations subcommittee, also called for transparency.

“Congress should keep this administration on par with previous administrations and demand clear legal justifications for military action, especially inside theaters like Syria, where Congress has not explicitly authorized any US military action.” Murphy said in a statement Friday.

A representative for Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Senate’s top Democrat, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Biden on Thursday led US military airstrikes in eastern Syria against facilities belonging to what the Pentagon has called Iranian-backed militia, in response to recent rocket attacks on US targets in Iraq.

In an attack on February 15, rockets hit the US military base at Erbil in the Kurdish-ruled region, killing a non-US contractor and injuring a number of US contractors and a US serviceman. Another salute struck a base housing US forces north of Baghdad days later, injuring at least one contractor. On Monday, rockets hit the green area of ​​Baghdad, which is home to the US embassy and other diplomatic missions.

“It is difficult to say for sure if there is a strategic calculation behind this recent surge in attacks or if it is simply a continuation of the types of attacks we have seen in the past. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said. a briefing Monday.

“We will hold Iran responsible for the attacks, the provocations of its proxies,” State Department spokesman Ned Price said in a separate briefing on Monday. The rocket attack in Erbil “is still under active investigation,” he said.

The US airstrikes on Thursday earned Biden rare praise across the aisle. Senator Lindsey Graham, RS.C., thanked Biden for this decision.

In 2018, then-President Donald Trump ordered military strikes in Syria. The move also drew criticism from Democrats.

“The president must come to Congress and obtain authorization to use military force by proposing a comprehensive strategy with clear objectives that ensure the security of our army,” Pelosi tweeted at the time.

– Reuters contributed to this report.

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