Washington, March 1 (IANS) Former US Vice President Kamala Harris sharply criticised President Donald Trump over American strikes on Iran, accusing him of dragging the country into “a war the American people do not want” and calling the military action reckless and unjustified.
“Donald Trump is dragging the United States into a war the American people do not want. Let me be clear: I am opposed to a regime-change war in Iran, and our troops are being put in harm’s way for the sake of Trump’s war of choice,” Harris said in a statement.
Her remarks came as US forces carried out strikes on Iranian targets amid rising tensions in the region. The strike resulted in the death of the Iranian Supreme Leader.
Harris warned that the conflict could extract a heavy price. “The President has already said this conflict may produce American casualties. Doug and I will be praying for all of our brave servicemen and women, who we know are undertaking dangerous missions with exceptional skill, discipline, and precision,” she said.
She added that US troops “deserve a Commander-in-Chief who approaches decisions on matters of war and peace with the same steadiness and discipline our troops show every day”.
The former vice president described the military campaign as “a dangerous and unnecessary gamble with American lives that also jeopardizes stability in the region and our standing in the world”.
“What we are witnessing is not strength. It is recklessness dressed up as resolve,” she said.
While acknowledging the threat posed by Tehran, Harris argued that escalation was not the answer. “I know the threat that Iran poses, and they must never be allowed to have a nuclear weapon, but this is not the way to dismantle that threat,” she said.
Harris also challenged Trump’s earlier assertions. “During the campaign, Donald Trump promised to end wars rather than start them. It was a lie. Then last year, he said, ‘we obliterated Iran’s nuclear program. That, too, was a lie,” she said.
Turning to constitutional authority, she said: “Under the Constitution of the United States, the President must receive authorization from Congress to enter a war.”
“But even if he had, that does not change the fact this action is unwise, unjustified, and not supported by the American people,” she added.
“There can be no equivocation in our opposition to Donald Trump’s war of choice, and Congress must use all available power to prevent him from further committing us to this conflict. Our troops, our allies, and the American people deserve nothing less.”
