Originally Posted by
Recc
Really? My impression is that they don't care about optics except if it makes them look weak. Therefore, the assertion (which I don't really believe) that they were just following the Israeli lead seems notable. Please do post on the war powers act/ Congress, I'd be interested to hear your take on it.
As to the War Powers act,
and its limitation on military operations: right now Congress is in the discussion stage. While they do that, military ops will doubtless continue apace.
I was under the impression that yesterday they were going to do something, but I erred.
The discussion stage will take a few days, and estimates are that by the end of the week a position will be taken.
It's anybody's guess how much bipartisan support there will be for a resolution calling out the President. A few of his GOP/MAGA allies have spoken out
against the current operation, but I am not sure how far that disenchantment will go.
The core question as related to this thread is how or when they could curtail the operations if the get a consensus to come out against it.
As I look at the recent example in Venezuela, my
guess is that the op will be short enough to stay within certain limits...and was planned that way.
I'll do some more digging, but
I think that the current operation will terminate well
before the standard 60 day limitation...the link covers some of the language and what Congress does, or doesn't do, and what requirements there are as regards operations of 60 days or less, or operations of six months or less...depends on the case. Here is why I think they'll wrap it up in the four weeks already discussed quite openly:
Sixty days after the President first reports to Congress (or was required to do so), the use of the Armed Forces is automatically terminated unless Congress has declared war or passed legislation authorizing the action. The President may extend this 60-day period an additional 30 days by certifying in writing to Congress the need for continued use of force.
The other unknown is what kinetic measures Iran will continue to use, given that they are under attack. I've seen nothing about the disposition of their submarines, and they've got various other assets not yet in play that may or may not be targeted.
You can take a lot of stuff out in four weeks.
But I caveat all of the above with this: if Iran keeps sending attack drones and missiles at various Gulf Allies, those nations may appeal to Washington to cease hostilities depending on how badly they feel the blows.