Senate should invoke War Powers Act to prevent Trump invasion of Venezuela

 Senate should invoke War Powers Act to prevent Trump invasion of Venezuela

 

The Trump administration is already at war with Venezuela. Trump’s Navy has sent 7 small, unarmed Venezuelan boats to Davy Jones Locker, killing 29 innocents. Trump claims he’s just killing Venezuelan drug smugglers sent by Venezuelan President Nicholas Maduro to kill Americans with illegal drugs. That is not law enforcement. It is premeditated mass murder.

 

Falsely claiming Maduro is a narco terrorist, Trump has put a $50 million bounty for his arrest. Trump has also sent 9 warships, including a sub, 4,500 troops, B-52 bombers and F-35 fighters into the region around Venezuela. That sure looks like a prelude to violent regime change, if not outright invasion.

 

A few principled senators, disgusted by Trump’ extra-legal war preparations, are pushing back. Senators Tom Kaine (D-VA), Rand Paul (R-KY) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) introduced Senate Joint Resolution 90 which would invoke the War Powers Act of 1973 to prevent Trump from invading Venezuela without authorization from Congress. Such authorization from Congress will never come.

 

Their resolution may be voted on next week. Every morally centered American seeking to head off an extralegal, unconstitutional invasion of Venezuela should contact their senators to support that noble effort.

Walt Zlotow, West Suburban Peace Coalition, Glen Ellyn IL