BY MIRABEL ODETA
The Republican-controlled U.S. Senate voted on Tuesday to block a Democrat-backed resolution that would have prevented President Donald Trump from taking military action against Cuba without approval from Congress.
Lawmakers voted 51 to 47 on a procedural measure that effectively stopped the war powers resolution from advancing. The vote largely followed party lines, with Republicans arguing that there are currently no active U.S. military hostilities involving Cuba and therefore no need for congressional intervention.
Republican Senator Rick Scott, who introduced the procedural challenge that halted the resolution, said the measure was unnecessary because Trump had not deployed American troops to the island nation. According to Scott, a war powers vote should only apply when the United States is directly engaged in military operations.
Democrat Senator Tim Kaine, one of the leading sponsors of the resolution, strongly disagreed. Kaine argued that U.S. actions aimed at restricting fuel shipments to Cuba already amount to military aggression and should require oversight from Congress.
Speaking before the Senate vote, Kaine warned that if another country carried out similar actions against the United States, Americans would likely consider it an act of war. He said Congress should not allow military escalation to occur without debate and formal authorization.
The debate comes amid growing concerns among Democrats over Trump’s increasingly aggressive foreign policy decisions. During his current term, U.S. forces have reportedly carried out operations near Venezuela, entered Caracas to detain President Nicolas Maduro, and participated alongside Israel in military operations against Iran without direct approval from Congress.
Trump has also recently suggested that “Cuba is next,” although he has not publicly detailed what actions he may take against the Communist-led island nation. The president has repeatedly claimed that Cuba’s government is close to collapse and has increased pressure through sanctions and maritime restrictions.
Democrats in both the Senate and the House of Representatives have repeatedly attempted to force votes requiring congressional authorization before military action can be taken abroad. However, those efforts have consistently failed due to opposition from Republicans, who currently hold narrow majorities in both chambers of Congress.
Republicans argue that Democrats are misusing the War Powers Act in an effort to weaken Trump politically and limit his authority as commander-in-chief. They insist that the president has the legal authority to respond quickly to threats and conduct limited military operations without waiting for congressional approval.
Under the U.S. Constitution, Congress has the formal power to declare war. However, presidents have long argued that short-term military operations or actions taken in response to immediate threats fall within executive authority.
The White House has defended Trump’s actions, saying the president is acting within his constitutional powers to protect American interests and national security.
SOURCE-REUTERS
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