A Real Case for Impeachment: If Donald Trump Vetoes Congress’s Resolution to End Yemen War

Most everyone would agree that the concentration of executive power, if left unchecked, is an assault on democracy. So is a sitting president who backs a nation which is committing war crimes in a civil war for the sake of his own business interests. As a result, many Americans were grateful to see how both houses of Congress passed their version of the War Powers Act challenging U.S. involvement in the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Meanwhile, if President Donald Trump vetoes the legislation as promised, it could be a real case for impeachment.

Contest for Ages
In 1970, for those who take seriously the checks and balance that were designed into the U.S. Constitution, Americans were also glad to see both houses of Congress agreeing to the Cooper-Church Amendment. It not only stipulated that the Nixon Administration could not spend funds for soldiers, advisers, combat assistance, or bombing operations in Cambodia, but it prohibited the use of additional funds in bloody conflicts like Vietnam and Laos after August 15, 1973. The amendment, to say the least, prevented more atrocities and saved millions of lives.

What was most significant was when Congress passed the War Powers Resolution over President Richard Nixon’s veto. It imposed further restrictions to ensure that the president would have to consult with the House and Senate before sending troops into conflict or potential conflict of extended periods. Known as the contest for ages, Congress had finally lived-up to its original ideal: To Represent the people while rescuing liberty from the grasp of an executive leader gone rogue.

In the post-Sept. 11 period, by contrast, Congress has never mustered the collective will to cut off funds or force troop withdrawal of troops from Iraq at the end of 2011. This, despite a clear majority of Americans wanting to do so. What’s more, other military actions have been taken entirely at the initiative of the last two presidents, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. This includes their own timetables which were never authorized. Consequently, Congress’s subservience to corporations haven’t been the only destructive force in American democracy.

Thanks to the House of Representatives S.J. Res 7, which is the Senate version of the War Powers Act challenging President Trump’s support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen, Congress has again summoned the nerve to limit executive power. It’s long overdue. Only Congress has the power to declare and fund a war. Since it consists of representatives elected by the popular vote, Congress is more democratic too as opposed to the presidency and its exclusive electoral college vote. In other words, Congress reflects the will of the people from all political parties instead of just one.

Merchants of Death
As for the U.S. support of the Saudi-led war in Yemen, UN investigators have singled out the Saudi military for killing thousands of civilians in airstrikes, torturing detainees, raping civilians, and using child soldiers as young as 8. Other crimes have consisted of using food as a weapon of war, bombing hospitals and schools and civilian buses, and blocking access to humanitarian agencies. Although no side has “clean hands,” the Saudis’ involvement in Yemen’s civil war has by far created the most suffering which includes starvation. It displays a total disregard for human life.

It should be recalled that the very first country Donald Trump visited after his inauguration was Saudi Arabia. This was mainly for the purpose of signing a number of business ventures and investing in the Saudi Crown Prince’s 2030 Vision. Not only is the Trump Organization planning to build hotels and resorts to help boost tourism, but he and Jared Kushner, his son-in-law, hope to manage several high rises. In the meantime, the president claims that weapons sales to Saudi Arabia is creating American jobs, and that aiding the Saudis in Yemen will keep Iran in check.

Since it’s unlikely Congress will be unable to override Donald Trump’s promised veto of the resolution to end funding of the Saudi-led war in Yemen, would it rise to the occasion of impeachment? Or to charge the president with high crimes and misdemeanors and bribery? High crimes being his foreign policy of supporting a genocidal war. Misdemeanors as the first atrocity in any war, which is always the one against truth. And bribery being how his business deals with Saudi Arabia have influenced and corrupted his decision-making process as a leader.

Whether Congress will do what’s right to regain its oversight powers and prevent more war crimes in Yemen and save millions of lives isn’t known. What is known is that there’s a War Crimes Act in the U.S. passed by a Republican Congress in 1996. It said that grave breaches of the Geneva Convention are subject to the death penalty. And that doesn’t mean the soldier that committed them - that means the commanders. Not that President Donald Trump as Commander-In-Chief should be subject to the same penalty. But considering he’s aiding and abetting a genocidal war, impeachment might be a good start.

Dallas Darling is the author of Politics 501: An A-Z Reading on Conscientious Political Thought and Action, Some Nations Above God: 52 Weekly Reflections On Modern-Day Imperialism, Militarism, And Consumerism in the Context of John’s Apocalyptic Vision, and The Other Side Of Christianity: Reflections on Faith, Politics, Spirituality, History, and Peace. He is a correspondent for www.WN.com. You can read more of Dallas’ writings at www.beverlydarling.com and www.WN.com/dallasdarling.