After U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities, Senator Bernie Sanders issued an urgent plea on Monday morning on the Senate floor to end what he described as an imminent war in the Middle East. Speaking on behalf of all senators present he urged lawmakers to immediately stop what he termed as “an unnecessary slide toward an endless war in the Middle East.”
“Americans have seen this movie before,” Sanders stated. “Preemptive military action based on unproven intelligence led to regime change talk–this is exactly how Iraq came to be and we cannot let history repeat itself.”
These comments come after multiple U.S. airstrikes targeting nuclear sites in Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan that aimed to disrupt Iran’s capability of enriching weapons-grade uranium have taken place over recent weeks, sparking international outrage and pushing U.S.-Iran relations to their lowest point in years.
Sanders, who voted against the Iraq war in 2002 and has long been critical of military interventions, expressed concerns over both their legality and strategic wisdom. According to him, there was no congressional authorization for war with Iran and that launching attacks without legislative oversight violates our Constitution while possibly leading to another conflict without an exit strategy.
Sanders took direct aim at former President Donald Trump, who this weekend called for regime change in Tehran and applauded airstrikes as “necessary steps” toward neutralizing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. According to Sanders, U.S. foreign policy should not depend on former leaders who have destabilized this region before.
Senator Elizabeth Warren and Representative Pramila Jayapal both joined Senator Sanders’ call for an immediate briefing from the Pentagon as well as congressional oversight review of U.S. military operations in the Middle East, demanding immediate briefing from both.
Internationally, response to the strikes and subsequent political rhetoric emanating from Washington has been met with increasing alarm. European Union leaders called for restraint between Washington and Tehran; furthermore, UN Secretary-General warned of imminent full-scale war unless diplomacy could quickly resume its work.
Iran has already promised a swift response, declaring the strikes an act of war by their Supreme National Security Council and issuing warnings that Tehran “will respond decisively and proportionally” should any further actions take place. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian warned further action by saying the Islamic Republic would react with decisive and proportionate responses if necessary.
At the same time, protests against further military escalation in Iran have flared up across numerous U.S. cities with anti-war demonstrators waving signs reading “No War with Iran” and “Learn from Iraq.” Protestors also gathered outside Congress’s Washington D.C. building demanding they block any such steps by holding signs reading: “Stop Military Escalation Now”.
Sanders wrapped up his address by calling for diplomacy and congressional accountability. War should only ever be used as a last resort, according to Sanders, with lives of millions depending on our ability to choose peace over provocation, truth over propaganda and history over political convenience.
As domestic and international tensions intensify, the Biden administration must make important decisions that may determine whether the U.S. enters a period of greater conflict or moves back towards diplomacy in the days to come.: