Murkowski, despite misgivings, votes against withdrawing Trump’s power to conduct Iran war

Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks at the beginning of the Elders & Youth conference, thanking people who had traveled from across the state and have been supporting those affected by the Western Alaska storm. (Rhonda McBride/KNBA)

Republicans in the U.S. Senate rejected a resolution that would have limited President Trump’s power to continue the war on Iran.

Nearly all Republicans voted against it, including Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

She said “there’s no question” Trump should have sought authorization from Congress before launching such a major strike. But, now that troops are in combat, Congress has little choice but to continue the military operation, she said.

“As Iran attacks everything it can, from military bases to embassies to civilian targets, we cannot tie our military’s hands or abruptly leave our allies and partners to fight on their own,” she said in an emailed statement after the vote.

Congress, she said, must define the scope of the conflict, hold oversight hearings and scrutinize the administration’s requests for war funding.

The other members of Alaska’s congressional delegation, Sen. Dan Sullivan and Congressman Nick Begich, have said they fully support Trump’s attack on Iran.

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