AFP, Washington
U.S. President Barack Obama has the authority to launch air
strikes against Syria. But he has to notify lawmakers in Congress -- a
process which has begun, according to both sides.
“The
administration is actively consulting with members of Congress, and we
will continue to have these conversations in the days ahead,” Secretary
of State John Kerry said Monday in a strongly-worded statement on Syria.
The Republican speaker of the House Of Representatives, John Boehner,
has had “preliminary communication with the White House about the
situation in Syria and any potential U.S. response,” his spokesman said.
“The speaker made clear that before any action is taken there must be
meaningful consultation with members of Congress, as well as clearly
defined objectives and a broader strategy to achieve stability,” said
the spokesman, Brendan Buck.
In 1973, after the Vietnam War and despite the opposition of Richard
Nixon in the White House, the U.S. Congress passed the War Powers
Resolution to compel U.S. presidents to seek congressional approval in
order to deploy soldiers.
A president must, in theory at least,
obtain an authorization voted on by Congress if introducing troops into
“hostilities” or “situations where imminent involvement in hostilities
is clearly indicated by the circumstances” to keep the operation going
beyond 60 days.
In practice, however, all presidents since
Nixon have deemed this unconstitutional and regularly neglected to ask
for such permission, instead simply notifying Congress.
Obama,
leaning on a United Nations Security Council resolution, launched aerial
strikes against Muammar Qaddafi’s troops in Libya in March 2011. But
according to the administration, the operation did not fall within the
“hostilities” outlined in the 1973 law.
In the wake of the
strikes, Congress was split between backers of a law mandating the
president stop the intervention and those who wanted to formally
authorize it.
“They do not need an authorization but I hope
they will come for one,” Bob Corker, the top Republican on the Senate
Foreign Relations Committee, told broadcaster MSNBC of a possible Syria
strike.
“They can start but hopefully as soon as we get back (from recess), Congress will take up an authorization for this,” he added.
According to the senator, a response on Syria “is imminent” and U.S. military “assets are in place.”
Political debate on the topic remains animated and some lawmakers,
including many with ties to the ultra-conservative Tea Party,
unsuccessfully tried in July to preventively block an attack on Syria
without the approval of Congress.
For now, the calendar is on Obama’s side since Congress is on summer recess until September 9.
In March 1999, lawmakers also didn’t have a say
on the lengthy bombing campaign in Kosovo, launched by then-president
Bill Clinton.
