The United States and Iran are at war. They have been at war for at least 89 days, since Feb. 28. And U.S. President Donald Trump’s prosecution of this war of choice without authorization by Congress is unconstitutional.
Those simple propositions are—and should be—obvious. The United States has 50,000 service members deployed to the region and it has employed an astounding collection of military hardware, including three carrier strike groups, two of which remain on station there. By April 8, it had launched 10,000 sorties against at least 13,000 Iranian targets; damaged or destroyed more than 150 Iranian warships, as well as every one of Iran’s submarines; and killed (in combination with Israel and other belligerents) some 3,500 Iranians. Since April 13, the United States has enforced a blockade against Iranian ports, interdicting at least four and turning around at least 100 ships. By May 12, the U.S. operation had cost at least $29 billion and resulted in the loss or damage of at least 42 U.S. combat aircraft.
The United States and Iran are at war. They have been at war for at least 89 days, since Feb. 28. And U.S. President Donald Trump’s prosecution of this war of choice without authorization by Congress is unconstitutional.
