Statement from State Senator J.D. Ford on U.S. Military Operations in Iran

CARMEL, In. – Today, the President has chosen the path of a unilateral war of choice. The Iranian regime and its proxies are brutal and repressive forces that have spent 47 years terrorizing its own people and spilling American blood. This history of violence stretches back to the horrific 1983 Beirut Marines barracks bombing. There is no question that the world would be better off without their influence. As we can see, many Iranian Americans are literally celebrating in the streets. However, this new war for regime change needed to go through Congress, because the way we choose to engage with the world matters.

Since the first Trump administration, my greatest fear has been a slide into an avoidable and large-scale conflict in the Middle East without a clear plan or constitutional authority. Today, that fear has come to light. This is not a limited strike to neutralize an imminent threat. By the administration’s own admission, this is a campaign for regime change. To quote the President himself, “we must abandon the failed policy of nation-building and regime change.” 

In his first inaugural address, President Trump said, “We’ve spent trillions and trillions of dollars in the Middle East, and what do we have for it? Nothing. We have death, we have destruction.” But, now, he begins an operation of this magnitude that risks the lives of thousands of American service members and threatens to destabilize the globe. And, he’s done this without sharing a plan, reasoning or justification with Congress or the American people.

In our democracy, the power to declare war does not rest with one person in the Oval Office. Just as President Bush did before the invasion of Iraq, this administration had an obligation to come to the People's representatives. They should have presented their evidence and sought an Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF). By bypassing Congress, the President has bypassed the American people.

Americans are tired of endless wars. We want a foreign policy rooted in diplomacy and stability rather than impulsive military intervention that invites retaliation. As a member of Congress, I will fight to reclaim the constitutional war powers that have been ignored. Peace should be attained through diplomacy, not through unvetted military escalation.

This is a dangerous pattern for the President that we have seen as recently as his actions in Venezuela this past January. Just as with the capture of Nicolás Maduro, the President continues to treat the Constitution as a suggestion rather than the law. 

It is more critical than ever that Democrats win in November’s midterm elections to take the House so there can be a true check on the President. I am the most qualified candidate to take on and defeat Victoria Spartz, help reclaim the House majority, and ensure the Constitution’s checks on war powers are reinstated. My prayers are with our brave men and women in uniform currently in harm’s way and with the innocent civilians caught in the crossfire of this escalation. We must return to a path that prioritizes the safety of our troops and the constitutional process that guides our nation.

---

Contact:

Joshua Andrews | LandisComms@gmail.com