This week, the U.S. Congress ought to be voting on whether to authorize Barack Obama’s new war against the Islamic State. However, members of the U.S. House and Senate are in a rush to leave Washington D.C., so that they can gather money for their re-election campaigns, so no such vote will take place. What has taken place is a vote in the House of Representatives on legislation authorizing Barack Obama to send weapons into Syria, to rebels who are fighting against both the dictatorial government and the Islamic State. Both houses of Congress seem content to allow President Obama to continue his unconstitutional war in Iraq and Syria.
Charles Rangel voted against the legislation to send weapons to rebels in Syria, but he wanted to do more. Rangel sought to attach an amendment to the legislation, which would do two things:
1. Require the new war to be paid for with a special war tax
2. Reinstate the military draft, so that a wide range of young Americans will be placed in harm’s way during the course of the war.
“We already lost 6,800 American lives in this war, and it is very difficult to explain to their families and friends at funerals what the cause was or whether we won or lost,” Rangel said yesterday. “The question should be once we make a determination that there is a threat to our national security, we should have the mandatory Selective Service Act reinstated. We already have it on the books. We should activate it to make certain that if you are voting to put more men and women’s lives into jeopardy, make certain it is universal men and women would be selected to make certain that they provide for a national service of some sort.”
The leadership of the U.S. House of Representatives did not give Congressman Rangel the opportunity to introduce his amendment.
The House voted to approve the legislation to send weapons to rebel groups in Syria. Most members of both political parties voted in favor of the weapons bill. Nearly equal numbers of Republicans (53) and Democrats (55) dissented.