Senator Durbin Responds To My Letter RE: Iran

January 9, 2020 Mr. William Rosen -------------------------- Dear Mr. Rosen:           Thank you for contacting me about your concerns regarding a conflict with Iran.  I appreciate hearing from you and share your concerns.           I am a cosponsor of the Prevention of Unconstitutional War with Iran Act of 2019 (S. 1039), which would prevent the Trump Administration from launching an attack against Iran without express approval from Congress, consistent with the War Powers Resolution.  I also introduced Senate Joint Resolution 63, which would require Congressional authorization for war in Iran to force a debate and vote in Congress to prevent further escalation of hostilities with Iran.           The War Powers Resolution mandates that the President consult with Congress in every possible instance prior to introducing U.S. armed forces into hostilities and regularly afterward.  Under this resolution, the President can only send troops into battle for 60 to 90 days unless Congress enacts either a declaration of war or an authorization for the use of force.           On January 16, 2016, the nuclear agreement between Iran and the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Russia, China, and Germany (also referred to as P5+1) was formally implemented.   This agreement was the result of nearly two years of negotiations between the P5+1 and Iran to reduce Iran's nuclear capacity significantly.  Under the deal, Iran agreed to a comprehensive set of conditions, inspections, and monitoring that would verifiably eliminate its ability to produce a nuclear weapon.  It also agreed to allow inspectors from the International Atomic Energy Agency to have total access to its key nuclear facilities and entire uranium supply chain.  Iran's nuclear weapon infrastructure was dismantled and underwent unprecedented international inspection.           After reinstating sanctions on the Iranian government and unilaterally withdrawing the United States from the nuclear agreement with Iran in 2018, the Trump Administration has failed to offer an alternative plan or strategy for reducing the Iranian nuclear program.  Instead, the Trump Administration has threatened Iran continuously with military action.  In doing so, President Trump risks pushing us closer to conflict and returning the threat of a nuclear-armed Iran to the United States and Israel.            There have been increasing concerns about military action in response to escalating tension between the United States and Iran after a series of provocative actions over the past year, most recently with the strike killing Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in January 2020.  President Trump authorized deploying 4,500 troops to the Middle East in addition to troops that were sent in 2019 to strengthen air and missile defenses for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.   In retaliation, Iran announced it would no longer abide the limits imposed by the nuclear deal and launched missile strikes on two U.S. military bases in Iraq.           While President Obama successfully negotiated a nuclear arms agreement with Iran that included Russia and China, President Trump walked away from the agreement and promised confrontation with Iran.  Now Iraq – a country where America has invested thousands of American lives and trillions of taxpayer dollars – has sided with Iran.            I am under no illusions about the Iran regime, and I supported United States' efforts to counter Iranian destabilization in the region aggressively, a task made easier without the threat of a nuclear weapon.  President Trump's reckless decisions and stunning lack of strategy have jeopardized our best opportunity to monitor and restrict Iran's nuclear activity. I am concerned President Trump will further endanger our national security by starting a war with Iran without Congressional approval.  Congress alone has the authority to declare war — not the President. Congress must make clear to the President that the United States will not enter another conflict in the Middle East without its approval.           Let us think twice before we engage in direct military confrontation with any country, and certainly with Iran.  We owe it to our men and women currently serving in the military to not repeat the same policy missteps of the past and have a thorough debate in Congress on such a critical foreign policy decision.           S. 3517 and S.J. Res. 63 were referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.  Although I am not a member of this committee,  I will keep your support for this legislation in mind as Congress asserts its Constitutional authority to prevent unauthorized wars.           Thank you again for contacting me.  Please feel free to keep in touch.
	Sincerely,       Richard J. Durbin       United States Senator
RJD/ma