Sen. Graham calls for US to ‘strike targets of significance” in Iran
Senators Call for US to Bomb Iran
In Response to Drone Attack in Jordan
Dave DeCamp / AntiWar
(January 28, 2024) — Some US senators are calling for direct strikes on Iran in response to the killing of three American troops in a drone attack in Jordan near the Syrian border.
President Biden blamed the attacks on “Iran-backed militants,” referring to Iraqi Shia militias. But the militias are known to act independently, and there’s no evidence Iran was involved. But Iran hawks in the Senate are jumping at the opportunity to start a war with Iran.
“The only answer to these attacks must be devastating military retaliation against Iran’s terrorist forces, both in Iran and across the Middle East. Anything less will confirm Joe Biden as a coward unworthy of being commander-in-chief,” Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) said in a statement.
In a post on X, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) called for the Biden administration to “strike targets of significance inside Iran.” He added: “Hit Iran now. Hit them hard.”
Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) also took to X to call for war with Iran. “Target Tehran,” he wrote.
The New York Times reported last week that President Biden thought it was only a matter of time before an American soldier was killed in the region and that he might target Iran directly in response. Since mid-October, US forces have come under attack in Iraq and Syria over 150 times.
Airstrikes in Yemen killed 68 civilians in a single day. 2017.
House Lawmakers Tell Biden He Must
Seek Authorization to Bomb Yemen
Dave DeCamp / AntiWar.com
(January 28, 2024) — Nearly 30 bipartisan members of the House have sent a letter to President Biden urging him to get authorization from Congress before launching more strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.
The letter, led by Reps. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Warren Davidson (R-OH), said President Biden was violating the Constitution by launching a new war against the Houthis.
“We believe the US’s unauthorized strikes in Yemen violate the Constitution and US statute. We ask that your Administration outlines for us the legal authority used to conduct these strikes, and we urge your Administration to seek authorization from Congress before conducting any more unauthorized strikes in Yemen,” the letter reads.
“As representatives of the American people, Congress must engage in robust debate before American servicemembers are put in harm’s way and before more US taxpayer dollars are spent on yet another war in the Middle East. No President, regardless of political party, has the constitutional authority to bypass Congress on matters of war,” the letter says.
Made in America: US cluster bomb hits Yemen. Fails to explode.
Four senators sent a similar letter to President Biden that questioned his legal authority for the strikes.
The US has now bombed Yemen 10 times since January 12. Britain joined the US in some of the strikes, but most have been unilateral US strikes. The latest US attack was conducted early Saturday morning Yemen time, according to US Central Command.
CENTCOM claimed the strikes on Saturday targeted a Houthi anti-ship missile that was aimed at the Red Sea. Yemen’s Al-Masira TV reported the strikes targeted the Ras Issa port, Yemen’s main oil export terminal, which is located in the western Hodeidah province.
The US strikes have done nothing to deter the Houthis, as they have broadened their attacks on commercial shipping to include American and British vessels. Before President Biden started bombing Yemen, the Houthis said they were only targeting Israel-linked shipping to protest the Israeli massacre in Gaza.
A tanker with links to the UK was struck by a Houthi missile on Saturday and was on fire for several hours. The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, have vowed they won’t back down and say the only way to reduce tensions is for the US-backed Israeli slaughter in Gaza to end.
Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.
