Sen. Sanders warns against US involvement in potential Iran conflict

WASHINGTON

Sen. Bernie Sanders warned against US involvement in military action against Iran, noting Israeli Premier Benjamin Netanyahu's past support for the Iraq War as a cautionary example.

Sanders noted Netanyahu’s 2002 congressional testimony where he urged the US to invade Iraq, claiming that the late Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein was pursuing nuclear weapons. "If you take out Saddam’s regime, I guarantee you that it will have enormous positive reverberations," Netanyahu said before the US invaded Iraq in 2003.

Netanyahu was "wrong," Sanders said in a statement.

"The war in Iraq resulted in 4,492 U.S. military deaths, over 32,000 wounded, and a cost of roughly three trillion dollars. Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis also died as a result of that tragic war.

"Netanyahu was wrong regarding the war in Iraq. He is wrong now. We must not get involved in Netanyahu’s war against Iran," Sanders added.

Sanders introduced legislation Monday to prohibit the use of federal funds for US military action against Iran without explicit authorization from Congress.

The "No War Against Iran Act" contains an exception for self-defense as enshrined in the War Powers Act and applicable US law.

Sens. Peter Welch, Elizabeth Warren, Jeff Merkley, Chris Van Hollen, Ed Markey, Tammy Baldwin and Tina Smith joined Sanders on the legislation.

President Donald Trump continued to hold the door open Wednesday to the US joining Israel's attacks against Iran, saying his patience with Tehran has "already run out. That's why we're doing what we're doing."

Regional tensions have escalated since Friday, when Israel launched airstrikes on multiple sites across Iran, including military and nuclear facilities, prompting Tehran to launch retaliatory strikes.