By Patrick Baron
BLOOMINGTON – US Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois is suggesting President Trump ordered an air strike against Syria preemptively.
Friday night, President Trump coordinated with the United Kingdom and France to bomb Bashar Al-Assad’s chemical weapons program. In a weekend tweet, Durbin said Trump’s order came without approval of Congress.
“Pres. Trump’s action again raises the constitutional question of his authority to unilaterally attack another nation without congressional approval. It is time for Congress and the American people to have that debate about military force in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen,” said Durbin.
US Senator Tammy Duckworth is also being critical of Trump’s order. While she approves of the coordination with the UK and France, she is questioning the legality of the attack.
“While the President rightly consulted our allies, I am also particularly alarmed that the Trump Administration did not first seek Congressional authorization for these strikes despite having ample time to do so, leaving these strikes on questionable legal ground,” Duckworth explained.
Other legislators, such as Central Illinois Congressmen Adam Kinzinger and Darin LaHood, have offered support for the president’s decision, believing it sent a message to Assad that America stands up against wrongdoing.
Patrick Baron can be reached at patrick.baron@cumulus.com.
