St. Cloud Times: Bachmann warns Obama against making unilateral decision on Syria

By Donovan Slack

Rep. Michele Bachmann is dead-set against U.S. military intervention in Syria and she called on President Obama on Wednesday to seek congressional authorization before taking any action.

The White House has maintained that the president has consulted with congressional leadership, but Bachmann says that’s not enough.

She joined more than 100 other House members from both parties in signing a letter to the president Wednesday arguing that he needs permission from the full Congress.

They say the War Powers Resolution of 1973 mandates that Obama get the consent of Congress before committing U.S. armed forces to action, except in the case of a “national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces.”

“Engaging our military in Syria when no direct threat to the United States exists and without prior congressional authorization would violate the separation of powers that is clearly delineated in our Constitution,” the letter to Obama says.

Obama has ordered military intervention before without congressional approval. In Libya, he directed airstrikes as part of an international coalition that helped oust Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. The White House reasoned that Obama did not need congressional authority because the actions were limited and U.S. forces were not involved in “hostilities.”

In their letter Wednesday, Bachmann and the other lawmakers said that operation set an unconstitutional precedent.

“If the use of 221 Tomahawk cruise missiles, 704 Joint Direct Attack Munitions, and 42 Predator Hellfire missiles expended in Libya does not constitute ‘hostilities,’ what does?” the letter says.

The White House, when asked about the letter, referred to statements made Tuesday by Press Secretary Jay Carney, who said the president has been consulting with leaders of the House, Senate and relevant committees. He signaled that Obama could order military action within hours or days, although he said at the time that a final decision had not been made.

Bachmann, who sits on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and has been a vocal opponent of U.S. intervention in Syria, said even if Obama consulted Congress, she would vote against authorizing military action.

“I am already troubled by the Obama administration sending arms to the Syrian rebels, who have connections to al Qaida-linked groups,” she said. “We have two very bad options in Syria, but the last thing that the American people want is to get in the middle of a conflict in Syria that doesn’t represent an imminent threat to America or our national security interests.”

This article originally appeared in the St. Cloud Times on August 29, 2013