Kucinich Prepares Congressional Override of Obama on Afghanistan
Many progressives in Congress have expressed their disapproval of President Barack Obama’s decision to escalate the military occupation of Afghanistan instead of drawing the American presence there to a close. U.S. Representative Dennis Kucinich is doing more than talking, however.
Kucinich is preparing to reassert congressional authority through a series of resolutions that would force Obama to begin a military withdrawal from Afghanistan. Kucinich prepares to introduce these resolutions at the beginning of 2010 – just a few weeks from now.
Kucinich announced these plans on the floor of the House, saying,
“As President Obama prepares to escalate military operations in Afghanistan and Pakistan, we must reinstate our prerogative as it relates to war. The United States has been involved in military action–both in Afghanistan and Pakistan–since the inception of this administration despite the fact that the President has never submitted a report to Congress pursuant to section 4(a)(1) of the War Powers Resolution.
Madam Speaker, when Congress returns in 2010, I intend to bring to the floor of the House privileged resolutions reasserting this congressional prerogative. My bills will trigger a timeline for timely withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan and Pakistan, invoke the War Powers Resolution of 1973, and secure the constitutional role of Congress as directly elected representatives of the people under article 1, section 8 of the Constitution for Congress to decide whether or not America enters into a war or continues a war or otherwise introduces Armed Forces or materials into combat zones.”
