US Senate blocks bid to limit Trump's powers for Iran war

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Global News Podcast 31 min 9 speakers 6 chapters transcribed 3 months ago
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What happened in the US Senate regarding Trump's war powers?

Pete Ross 0:00
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Kulta Katriina 0:21
Kulta Katriina. Eläköön suomalainen kahvikulttuuri.
Pete Ross 0:53
This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Pete Ross, and in the early hours of Thursday, the 5th of March, these are our main stories. The US Senate has cleared the way for Donald Trump to continue attacking Iran, rejecting an effort to curb the president's war powers. Israeli military officials say Iran has launched more missiles, with explosions heard in Jerusalem, according to reports. Earlier, Israel's military said it launched a new wave of strikes targeting military infrastructure in Tehran. Also in this podcast, a family in the US files a lawsuit against Google, alleging that its AI chatbot encouraged their son to kill himself. And... The chimpanzees transport the crystals in the mouth.
Pete Ross 1:43
This is not normal for chimpanzees. Why chimpanzees are fascinated by crystals. We begin with the latest on the US-Israel war with Iran, which is now into its sixth day. Israeli military officials say Iran has launched more missiles, with explosions heard in Jerusalem, according to reports. Earlier, Israel's military said it launched a new wave of strikes targeting military infrastructure in Tehran. But first in this podcast, let's turn to political events in Washington DC, where a vote in the US Senate has cleared the way for President Trump to continue the military campaign. Democrats argue that Mr Trump has sidelined Congress and has given a number of different reasons for the war. And it was the Democrats who brought to the Senate a vote on a war power resolution aimed at limiting the president's ability to order further military action in Iran.
Pete Ross 2:39
The Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock said Congress needed to have a say in how the US military is operating in the Middle East.
Raphael Warnock 2:47
The declaration of war is not a power that the President of the United States has. The Constitution makes it clear the declaration of war is the authority and the responsibility of Congress. Presidents of both parties, yes, they have engaged in military operations, but the declaration of war belongs to this body. Well, to me, this looks like a war.
Pete Ross 3:12
But Republicans said President Trump was showing strong leadership and should be supported. Here's Congressman Michael McCaul.
Michael McCaul 3:20
This war powers resolution is ill-timed and ill-advised. Congress must stand with the president and our military to finally close once and for all this dark chapter of history and pave the way for lasting peace.
Pete Ross 3:38
In the end, the Senate voted largely along party lines to reject the resolution. I asked our North America correspondent, Simi Jalohosho, what the general feeling was among politicians about how the war is progressing.
Simi Jalohosho 3:51
Well, the general feeling is pretty much reflected in that vote. It's mainly split between party lines. The Defence Secretary, Pete Hegseth, has framed this mission as laser-focused. And this resonates with Republican lawmakers who want to avoid forever wars, as they call it, by using massive air power rather than ground troops. Republican senators like Lindsey Graham, Tom Cotton have argued that the Iranian regime is on the verge of a collapse. And so the U.S. must maintain overwhelming force to ensure that Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon. But Democratic figures acknowledge that, yes, there might have been a threat from Iran. And yes, Iran should not have a nuclear weapon. But they have condemned how the strikes are being done.
Simi Jalohosho 4:45
They feel there's a lack of a plan being shared by the administration. The Senate's minority leader, Chuck Schumer, Senator Tim Kaine, who introduced or led that resolution yesterday, in the Senate have both branded this operation as an unconstitutional war. And they say that they are worried that there's no clear exit strategy and that the US will be drawn into a sort of regional quagmire. Some centrist Democrats, most notably John Fetterman, who voted on the side of the Republicans with regard to that resolution, has argued that the killing of Ayatollah Khamenei is a net positive for the US and for the world.

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