Sen. Kaine Forces Vote on Iran War Powers Resolution

Senator Tim Kaine views his advocacy for congressional war authorization as a constitutional duty and a personal commitment. His experience as Virginia's Governor, witnessing thousands of National Guard troops deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan and attending wakes and funerals, solidified his resolve to ensure wars are only entered for 'really good reasons' after congressional debate and vote, aiming to avoid 'stupid wars.'

Kaine states, 'When I became senator in 2013, I came out of an experience where I'd been governor... and had watched thousands of my National Guard troops deploy into Iraq and Afghanistan... I just vowed when I became a senator that I would do everything I can to make sure we didn't go into war except for a really good reason after a congressional debate and vote and that we should do everything possible to avoid stupid wars.'

Members of Congress historically prefer to avoid voting on military engagements, fearing accountability if the conflict goes poorly. This 'lack of backbone' allows presidents to act unilaterally, with Congress later blaming the executive if outcomes are negative, or claiming support if successful. Kaine argues this shirking of responsibility is a disservice to service members who risk their lives.

Kaine explains, 'members of Congress would in many instances prefer to hide under their desk, let a president do it, blame him if it goes wrong. If it goes right, say, 'Hey, we are with you all along.'' He adds, 'if we're going to send our sons and daughters into war where they face death or injury, we should only do it if we have the guts to have the debate in front of the American public.'

Kaine expresses deep concern over the reported rationale for the administration's actions in Iran. Public accounts of a briefing suggested the timing was influenced by Israel's intent to attack, which Kaine considers 'about the worst rationale for war' he has ever heard. He also questions the targeting criteria, citing reports of a school strike, and a lack of planning indicated by a friendly nation mistakenly shooting down U.S. aircraft.

Regarding the reported briefing, Kaine states, 'the Rubio answer was deeply troubling. Well, Israel was gonna attack and if Israel attacked, we would face some retaliation, so we decided to go ahead and go in. We should not let any nation, even an ally, drag us into war or determine the timing that the US goes to war.' He also asks, 'how strike a school killing kids? Have we changed our targeting criteria?' and 'Why did Kuwait shoot down three US F-15s?'

The administration's military actions and subsequent State Department alerts create chaos for American citizens living abroad and extend deployments for military personnel. Kaine's office receives inquiries from constituents trying to leave the Middle East, and military families express concern over extended deployments and lack of clear objectives.

Kaine mentions, 'somebody in Saudi Arabia who's a friend who was trying to board a flight to Washington, could he get out?' and Virginia Commonwealth University's Doha campus switching to online classes due to fear of retaliatory attacks. He adds, 'I am getting questions from family members. What's the goal? What's the plan? When will I see my kid?' regarding sailors on the USS Ford.

The Democratic party's current sentiment regarding war is profoundly shaped by the lessons of the 2002 Iraq War authorization. Kaine notes a collective realization that Congress 'learned nothing from 25 years' of conflict, leading to a strong internal desire for rigorous debate and a congressional vote before committing troops.

Kaine states, 'I think the vibe is have we learned nothing from 25 years.' He recalls the 2002 vote before the midterm election, saying, 'I thought, man, there's got to be a better way to make a decision about going to war than to force a vote right before a midterm election.'