In a move that has left some House Democrats frustrated, President Biden authorized strikes against Houthi positions in Yemen, without seeking Congressional approval.
The decision has led to a split in the Democratic Party, with some expressing concern that the U.S. may be drawn into yet another Middle Eastern conflict without the necessary checks and balances.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., has spoken out in favor of the need for the President to seek Congressional approval before launching a strike against the Houthis in Yemen. “That is Article I of the Constitution,” he stated, adding that he would advocate for this regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican was in the White House.
Similarly, Rep. Mark Pocan, D-Wis., warned that without Congressional authorization, the U.S. could risk getting entangled in foreign conflicts that could last for decades. He added that the White House must work with Congress before continuing these airstrikes in Yemen.
However, senior Republican lawmakers have bucked the trend, heaping rare praise on President Biden for the move. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., welcomed the U.S. and coalition operations against the Iran-backed Houthi terrorists, stating that they had violently disrupted international commerce in the Red Sea and attacked American vessels. “President Biden’s decision to use military force against these Iranian proxies is overdue,” he said in a statement.
President Biden himself defended the strikes, explaining that they were in direct response to unprecedented Houthi attacks against international maritime vessels in the Red Sea – including the use of anti-ship ballistic missiles for the first time in history. He added that these attacks had put U.S. personnel, civilian mariners, partners, trade, and freedom of navigation at risk. In total, more than 50 nations have been affected in 27 attacks on international commercial shipping.
