On Wednesday, April 19, Indiana Senator Todd Young welcomed [1] Defense Secretary Mattis' call [2] for a political solution to the conflict in Yemen without delay. Sen. Young called on Saudi Arabia to: - refrain from bombing the port of Hodeida, through which a majority of food, fuel, and medical supplies enters Yemen - a military attack that closed the port would likely result in a famine within a few months; - reform its inspection regime at Hodeida to eliminate unacceptable delays in the delivery of severely needed humanitarian supplies; - facilitate the delivery of U.S.-funded World Food Program cranes to the port of Hodeida that would dramatically increase the port’s humanitarian aid capacity. [3] Urge Members of Congress to join Senator Young's call on Saudi Arabia not to attack Hodeida by signing our petition. References: 1. https://twitter.com/SenToddYoung/status/854807390184669184 2. https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript-View/Article/1154616/media-availability-with-secretary-mattis-en-route-to-the-kingdom-of-saudi-arabia/ 3. https://www.young.senate.gov/content/following-mattis-visit-young-calls-saudi-government-help-alleviate-humanitarian-crisis-yemen

On Thursday, April 13, President Donald Trump authorized U.S. forces to drop the military's largest non-nuclear bomb on Afghanistan. The 21,600-pound Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB), nicknamed the "mother of all bombs" is GBU-43, which reportedly contains 11 tons of explosives. A week before, Trump killed 300 civilians in Mosul in one of the deadliest airstrikes in decades and, in March, he broke records for the number of bombs dropped on Syria. Politicians and pundits often ask in reference to Muslims, "Why do they hate us?" implying that Islam and Muslims are inherently violent. But rather than blaming Islam for terrorism, President Trump and Congress must stop fueling hatred and helping create radical extremists by bombing Muslim-majority countries. While Trump has escalated airstrikes in the Middle East, it is important to note that his bombing campaigns follow bipartisan policies of the two previous administrations which have targeted 7 Muslim-majority countries since 9/11.

Progressive French presidential candidate Jean-Luc Mélenchon - the "French Bernie Sanders" - is now a "frontrunner" in the first round of the French presidential election. That is giving him an unprecedented platform in global media, which he has used, among other things, to attack Trump's military attack on Syria. When he addressed tens of thousands of people in Toulouse Sunday, the crowd roared when Mélenchon attacked Trump over Trump's illegal attack on Syria. "No Frenchman can accept a global gendarme who decided all by himself the good and the bad," Mélenchon said. [1] As a leader of what will soon be the only EU country with a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, Mélenchon has a unique ability to serve as a "check and balance" on Trump's global warmongering. It was France that led the global opposition to Bush's illegal 2003 invasion of Iraq. If Mélenchon can stand up to Trump on Syria, he can stand up to Trump on Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war in Yemen, which the Trump Administration wants to escalate. Trump Administration officials want to help Saudi Arabia and the UAE attack the Yemeni port of Hodeida, which the UN, aid groups, former US officials, and 55 Members of the House have warned would likely push Yemen into famine. [2] Urge Mélenchon to use his bully pulpit to challenge Trump's support for Saudi Arabia's catastrophic war in Yemen by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/16/world/europe/jean-luc-melenchon-france-presidential-election.html 2. https://www.commondreams.org/news/2017/04/12/55-bipartisan-lawmakers-demand-trump-pump-brakes-military-action-yemen

On April 6, President Trump attacked Syria without Congressional authorization, violating the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. On April 8, he said he would take additional action as he deemed necessary. He has not yet agreed to seek Congressional authorization before further military action. Representative Zoe Lofgren [CA-19] is circulating a bipartisan letter to President Trump, demanding that he seek Congressional authorization before further military action in Syria. The Lofgren letter echoes a bipartisan 2013 letter led by then-Republican Representative Scott Rigell to then-President Obama, pressing him to come to Congress before U.S. military action in Syria. [1] Urge your Representative to support the Lofgren letter by signing our petition. References: 1. "192 Reps., Including 73 Democrats, Call for Debate & Vote Before War With Syria," http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/8/29/1234850/-162-Reps-Including-64-Democrats-Call-for-Debate-Vote-Before-War-With-Syria

On April 10, 55 Members of the House sent a bipartisan letter to President Trump and Attorney General Sessions demanding that President Trump seek authorization from Congress before escalating militarily in Yemen. Rep. Mark Pocan said, “Administration officials have proposed the U.S. participate directly in an attack on Yemen's major port. Such an attack could push the country into full-blown famine...this letter is a first step in reasserting our Constitutional check on presidential powers. I am committed to pursuing all tools at our disposal to ensure President Trump abides by our Constitution before possibly plunging our country into another senseless conflict.” Rep. Ted Lieu said, “President Trump does not have the authority to send U.S. forces to battle the Houthis in Yemen, period." [1] On April 6, President Trump attacked Syria without congressional authorization. Many Members of Congress have said that President Trump did not have authority for this attack and must seek authorization from Congress before any further military action. [2] But in his required 48-hour notification to Congress on April 8 on the Syria strike, President Trump said he would "take additional action, as necessary and appropriate." He did not say he would seek authorization from Congress before taking "additional action." [3] Under the War Powers Resolution, a single Member of Congress can force a debate and vote on U.S. participation in an unauthorized war. [4] Press your representatives to pledge to invoke the War Powers Resolution to explicitly prohibit military escalation in Syria and Yemen by signing our petition. References: 1. http://pocan.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/bipartisan-effort-55-us-representatives-call-on-trump-to-come-to 2. http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/328015-sanders-calls-on-trump-to-come-to-congress-over-syria-strikes; https://www.murphy.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/murphy-statement-on-us-air-strike-in-syria- 3. https://www.lawfareblog.com/president-trumps-war-powers-report-syria-attacks 4. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp

As Trump launched thousand-pound missiles into Syria, viewers of cable news were greeted by a parade of retired colonels and generals celebrating the attack while anchors swooned over Trump and images of deadly weapons. Brian Williams called the missiles beautiful three times in 30 seconds. Fareed Zakaria described the missile launch as the moment when Trump "became the President of the United States." Little attention was paid to the dire consequences of recent U.S. military engagement in Yemen or Iraq--or the current and dire refugee crisis in Syria. Trump's motives were generally accepted as humanitarian, despite his not only barring Syrian refugees from this country, but criticizing other countries for accepting them. Useful coverage of the situation in Syria would include covering not only the sight of our missiles sailing through the air, but attention to: - the largest refugee crisis since WWII and Trump's attempt to block Syrian families from entering the U.S. - actual humanitarian support for Syrians--like the $6 Billion in aid committed by European nations 2 days before the bombing - covering the human impact of Trump's proposed decimation of the foreign aid and State Department budgets Responsible reporting would also include covering the impact of missiles after they fall to earth--when they are anything but beautiful. MSNBC must immediately direct their producers, anchors, and journalists to cover both the conflict in Syria and all U.S. military action with the rigor and integrity they deserve by diversifying the viewpoints presented, and demanding sharper and more comprehensive analysis from their anchors and journalists.

Saudi Arabia's war and blockade have pushed Yemen to the brink of famine. But the Trump Administration wants to sell Saudi Arabia even more weapons. Under U.S. law, weapons exports are supposed to be conditioned on requirements that civilians be protected from their use. Unfortunately, Congressional "oversight" of U.S. weapons exports has often been virtually absent, particularly for countries like Saudi Arabia that have bought a lot of influence in Washington. Senators Murphy, Paul, Durbin and Franken [1] have now introduced Senate Joint Resolution 40 [2], which would tighten these requirements in the case of Saudi Arabia. Under SJRes40, the Administration would have to publicly certify that Saudi Arabia is complying with international humanitarian law in Yemen and facilitating the flow of aid into Yemen in order for arms sales to proceed. On September 21, 27 Senators voted against arming Saudi Arabia. [3] The more Senators co-sponsor SJRes40, the more Senate support we have for blocking the sale of weapons if Saudi Arabia doesn't change its behavior in Yemen. Urge Senators to co-sponsor SJRes40 by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/40/cosponsors 2. https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/115/sjres40/text 3. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=114&session=2&vote=00145#position

On April 7, the purported "fact-checking" site "PolitiFact Wisconsin" issued a "ruling" claiming that Wisconsin Rep. Mark Pocan deserved a "FALSE" rating for saying that there was no legal basis for President Trump's April 6 military attack on Syria. In attempting to justify its claim, "PolitiFact Wisconsin" asserted: "under the War Powers Resolution, the president can send in forces without approval from Congress." [1] Politifact Wisconsin's claim is FALSE. The War Powers Resolution says: "The constitutional powers of the President as Commander-in-Chief to introduce United States Armed Forces into hostilities, or into situations where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, are exercised only pursuant to (1) a declaration of war, (2) specific statutory authorization, or (3) a national emergency created by attack upon the United States, its territories or possessions, or its armed forces." [2] The ACLU says: "President Trump has unilaterally launched strikes against a country that has not attacked us, and without any authorization from Congress. Doing so violates some of the most important legal constraints on the use of force... we have been steadfast in insisting, from the Vietnam War through the wars in Iraq and strikes in Libya and Syria by the Obama administration, that the decision to use military force requires Congress’ specific, advance authorization." [3] Urge PolitiFact Wisconsin to correct the record by signing our petition. References: 1. http://www.politifact.com/wisconsin/statements/2017/apr/07/mark-pocan/mark-pocan-wrongly-claims-donald-trump-had-no-lega/ 2. http://www.truth-out.org/opinion/item/40160-in-attacking-syria-trump-breached-the-war-powers-resolution-s-outer-wall 3. https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/us-strikes-syria-are-illegal-response-atrocity

On Thursday, April 6, President Trump attacked Syria without Congressional authorization, violating the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution. [1] Following Nixon's unauthorized escalations of the Vietnam War, the Congressional Framers of the War Powers Resolution knew that it was likely that future Presidents would try to use military force without Congressional authorization. That's why they put multiple mechanisms in the WPR to help future Congresses defend their war powers. One of those mechanisms was the requirement that the President report in writing to Congress within 48 hours of using military force without a declaration of war, stating: "(A) the circumstances necessitating the introduction of United States Armed Forces; (B) the constitutional and legislative authority under which such introduction took place; and (C) the estimated scope and duration of the hostilities or involvement." [2] On April 7, Reps. Peter DeFazio [OR-4], Mark Pocan [WI-2], Barbara Lee [CA-13], and James McGovern [MA-2] sent a letter to Trump reminding him that under the War Powers Resolution, he has 48 hours to report to Congress on his unauthorized strike. Add your voice to that of DeFazio, Pocan, Lee and McGovern by signing our petition. UPDATE: "With six hours to spare before the 48-hour deadline in section 4 of the War Powers Resolution, the White House has sent the President's report to Congress on Thursday evening's missile attacks on Syria." [4] You can still show your support for President Trump's compliance with the War Powers Resolution by signing our petition. References: 1. https://www.aclu.org/blog/speak-freely/us-strikes-syria-are-illegal-response-atrocity; https://www.lawfareblog.com/constitutionality-syria-strike-through-eyes-olc-and-obama-administration 2. http://avalon.law.yale.edu/20th_century/warpower.asp 3. http://defazio.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-defazio-lawmakers-urge-president-trump-to-outline-scope-of-syria 4. https://www.lawfareblog.com/president-trumps-war-powers-report-syria-attacks

As the world considers the ramifications of Trump's unilateral missile strikes in response to Bashar Assad's heinous actions, we cannot forget that the families who were gassed and killed by Assad are the very same families Trump wants to ban from taking refuge in the United States. As Congress decides whether to authorize Trump's use of force in Syria, we need to be clear: It would be hypocritical and morally wrong to bomb the people of Syria who are trapped there because of our government's recent decisions. We are talking with Democrats in Congress and will share the momentum of this petition with them. Together, we'll encourage them to stand up to Trump's anti-refugee policies.

Using nuclear weapons may very well bring about the end of the world (as we know it) . . . could possibly make it so it's like human history never happened. The past, the present, the future . . . gone up in mushroom clouds of smoke.

The devastating civil war in Syria, now in its seventh year, has claimed at lesat 400,000 casualties, and displaced more than 6 million people, creating a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions. Following the ruthless chemical attacks carried about by Bashir Assad's forces that killed over 80 Syrian civilians, Trump declared, "No child of God should ever suffer such horror." Yet, rather than help the Syrian people who are trapped between Assad and Isis, the Trump administration has attempted to slam the doors entirely on Syrian refugees and gut funding for international aid and diplomacy. It's time for Trump and his fellow Republicans to actually take actions to reduce this suffering. The U.S. government must match the generous and humanitarian impulses of the American people and live up to our international responsibilities to support the people of Syria—by expediting the acceptance and resettlement of 100,000 Syrian refugees.