War Powers

In 1957, Congress granted President Eisenhower authorization to use force in the Middle East. The law is still on the books 62 years later.

Eisenhower believed that a congressional authorization of force, including the possible use of nuclear weapons, to protect Taiwan from Communist China would help prevent all-out war from breaking out across the Taiwan Strait.

By adopting two resolutions that oppose the Trump administration’s policies towards Saudi Arabia and Yemen, the Senate may have tipped the scales towards a change in policy.

Wednesday’s vote was a major victory for opponents of the Yemen war. The reason has less to do with the legislation and more to do with the vote itself.