Separation of powers
Doesn’t our Constitution state that the power of declaring or starting a war is in the hands of the legislative branch of our government? How can an attack ordered by only the president be allowed to bring our nation into a war against Iran? Congress is the only branch of government with the power to send our troops to war. And the act of bombing another country is essentially a declaration of war. Please, Congress, do your job — the president does not have the legal authority to do this. Stand up for yourselves — and stand up for all of us.
Mary A. McKenna, Philadelphia
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As diplomacy gave way to war, as U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran, how much concern was given to those on military bases in the region? With the current administration saying it wants to avoid “boots on the ground,” what does it classify the roughly 40,000 to 50,000 service members currently stationed across at least 19 sites in the Middle East? Due to impulsive decision-making (the Trump administration never made its case before Congress or the American people before entering the conflict), these forces are currently operating amid heightened tensions and threats, putting their lives at risk from Iranian-aligned forces. Service members, along with innocent civilians, have been placed in the middle of an unwise war; a war without a strategy, a war with deadly consequences.
On Saturday morning, I ran across a post on social media from Kathy Fulmer of Saylorsburg, Pa. It read: “I just received a message from my son who is deployed over there. Currently he’s OK, this is not what I wanted to wake up to. For all the other parents with children over there, my heart is with you! May our children all come home safe and uninjured.”
Peter Tobia, Philadelphia
The writer is a former photojournalist at The Inquirer.
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In 2003, George W. Bush — with the approval of Congress — took us to war based on faulty (some would say contrived) intelligence. The information that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, which was the state’s reason for our attack, was eventually proven to be false. Colin Powell, who was then secretary of state, later apologized for making the case for war using bad information.
Donald Trump is repeating that scenario, but for different reasons. As the Jeffrey Epstein noose tightens around his neck, he is in desperate need of a big distraction. What could be more distracting than a war? Add that to his desire to “declare an emergency” so he can take over elections. Does he think we are blind? His statement that he wants to free Iran from an evil dictator is hypocritical, as he strives to be a dictator himself. Trump has betrayed the American people and, most of all, his supporters. His promises to reduce the cost of living and stay out of foreign wars are outright lies. He is not putting the needs of Americans first because he does not care about the American people or the Iranian people. He cares about himself, his family, and his billionaire friends who will profit from a war.
It’s long past time for Congress to do the right thing and remove him from office before he causes any further damage to us and the rest of the world.
Kathleen Clements, Philadelphia
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