KOLKATA:In reaction to the yemen airstrike by Houthi attack on international ships, the United States (US) Central Command claimed that its forces launched more attacks against “a Houthi radar site in Yemen” on Saturday. This was the second raid on Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen by US forces. On January 11, the US Central Command forces launched their first coordinated attacks against a Houthi target.
“US military forces — together with the United Kingdom and with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada, and the Netherlands — successfully conducted strikes against a number of targets in Yemen used by Houthi rebels to endanger freedom of navigation in one of the most vital waterways in the world,” US President Joe Biden said in a statement on January 11.
Several US congressmen charged President Joe Biden with breaking Article 1 of the US Constitution following the US’s military action against Houthi militants. The Democratic Party’s Pramila Jayapal called the strikes a “unacceptable violation of the Constitution”. Rep. Ro Khanna said on Twitter that the President’s strikes in Yemen are unconstitutional at the same time. Then, Republican Mike Lee agreed and reposted Ro Khanna’s X tweet. Why were Biden’s actions deemed “unconstitutional” by US lawmakers? In a post on X, Ro Khanna stated that before the President strikes the Houthis in Yemen or gets embroiled in another Middle East battle, he must address Congress. “The Constitution’s Article I is that. Regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican is in the White House, I will continue to fight for that.
. The US Congress must approve war, according to Article 1 of the US Constitution. Besides, Congress has the power to declare war thanks to the hotly contested Clause 8 of Article 1. “The Congress shall have the power to…declare war,” the text reads. READ ALSO: Why has the US-led coalition’s war with the Houthis escalated? “No State shall, without the Consent of Congress, lay any Duty of Tonnage, keep Troops, or Ships of War in time of Peace, enter into any Agreement or Compact with another State, or with a foreign Power, or engage in War, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent Danger as will not admit of delay,” according to Section 10 of the US Constitution.
The Biden administration did not ask Congress’s permission, although it did notify them of the upcoming strikes. Ro Khanna made reference to the US Constitution in his allegation that Biden planned “strikes in Yemen” for more than a month, but he never went to Congress to request authorization as required by Article I of the Constitution. Khanna went on to quote Section 2C of the War Powers Act, stating that the President of the United States may only declare war on the US with Congressional approval or in the event of a national emergency in which there is an impending attack on the US. Reporting is not a replacement. This is an offensive act of retaliation