Sean Casten Statement on US Military Action in Iran

Washington, D.C. — U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement on US military action in Iran:

“Iran’s regime is repressive and destabilizing. Its proxies sow chaos across the region. No one disputes that Iran presents serious challenges. Its support for proxy militias, regional interference, and hostility toward its neighbors undermines peace in the Middle East. The United States would welcome a more peaceful and responsible partner in the region.

“But that does not justify unilateral war.

“The President has cited no imminent threat to the United States that would warrant military action without congressional authorization or international support. The threats he referenced were hypothetical and tied to what Iran might do in the future, not an immediate attack requiring unilateral action. That distinction matters under Article I of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution.

“Even more concerning, the President explicitly acknowledged that U.S. troops may be killed as a result of this unlawful war. That admission underscores exactly why Congress must debate and authorize any such action in advance. Thousands of U.S. service members across the region could now be exposed to missile, drone, or proxy attacks. Our Constitution is clear: our sons and daughters should not be sent into harm’s way without debate and authorization by the people’s representatives in Congress.

“Destabilizing Iran is not cost-free. Iran has the capacity to disrupt oil shipments in the Persian Gulf, activate proxies across the region, and trigger refugee flows that would immediately affect Qatar, the UAE, Turkey, and others. History teaches that calls for regime change, including our own involvement in Iran in 1953, can produce consequences that last for generations.

“If we are serious about confronting Iran, we must lead through diplomacy, coalition-building, financial enforcement, and the rule of law. Congress and the United Nations must be immediately briefed with facts, not spin. The United States is not one individual. Our strength comes from constitutional governance and international credibility.

“Next week, the House will vote on a War Powers Resolution, and I will support it. In the meantime, my thoughts are with our service members and every civilian whose life is now at risk.

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Ray Hanania

Ray Hanania is an award-winning opinion columnist, author & former Chicago City Hall reporter (1977-1992). A veteran who served during the Vietnam War and the recipient of four SPJ Peter Lisagor Awards for column writing, Hanania writes weekly opinion columns on mainstream American & Chicagoland topics for the Southwest News-Herald, Des Plaines Valley News, the Regional News, The Reporter Newspapers, and Suburban Chicagoland.

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Hanania also writes about Middle East issues for the Arab News, and The Arab Daily News criticizing government policies in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Hanania was named "Best Ethnic American Columnist" by the New America Media in November 2007, and is the 2009 recipient of the SPJ National Sigma Delta Chi Award for column writing.

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