According to The Wall Street Journal, Rep. Dennis Kucinich and Rep. Ron Paul are introducing debate on the House floor this week to address America’s increasing military intervention in Pakistan.
Under President Obama, the CIA has launched a record number of Drone strikes targeting suspected militants in Afghan and Pakistani territory. In addition to the significant increase in Drone attacks, the US military now has about 200 military personnel inside Pakistan, and the Bush-Obama administrations have provided over $7 billion in aid to the turbulent nation.
Rep. Kucinich intends on introducing a resolution, with the full support of Rep. Paul, which would force President Obama to withdraw all US military troops, regular, irregular, and advisory, by the end of the year. According to Kucinich, the Obama administration has failed to properly notify Congress of its increasing military operations inside Pakistan, effectively undermining the 1973 War Powers Resolution.
Dr. Paul has stated that military intervention in Pakistan is technically illegal, since the United States has not officially declared war or issued Letters of Marque and Reprisal, as stipulated in Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution.
Kucinich is especially worried by the growing presence of U.S. military “advisers”, a step he believes echoes the gradual escalation seen during the Vietnam War. He stated:
“Look at the history of U.S. military involvement; we became enmeshed in a war against Vietnam with advisers leading the way,” Kucinich said. “Mr. Paul and I are seeking to nip in the bud an expansion of U.S. ground presence in Pakistan.”
Kucinich and Paul have been the most ardent and consistent critics (in Congress) of the Iraq and Af-Pak Wars, under both the Bush and Obama administrations. They believe the three wars have exacerbated the rising national debt, bogged down the U.S. military, undermined Constitutional law, and increased the threat of terrorism.