Dear Friend,

Last night, President Trump ordered an attack on several key Iranian nuclear facilities. It is much too early to understand the full implications, but I know that this is a moment of great anxiety for many, so I wanted to share my thoughts as the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee.

I believe that Iran must be prevented from obtaining a nuclear weapon for the security of the United States, Israel, and the world. I had been hopeful that the Trump Administration might reach a deal similar to (or even “better” than) the JCPOA, the one mechanism that has succeeded in halting Iran’s progress towards a nuclear weapon. Instead, the Administration chose to escalate the conflict by bombing the same nuclear program they failed to reign in.

The President’s actions may delay the Iranian nuclear program. Maybe this attack will even convince the Iranian people that time is up for their rulers who are as inept as they are evil. I hope that is the case. However, history has proven that conflict in the Middle East is unpredictable and dangerous. The Bush administration was quick to celebrate the ousting of Saddam Hussein, only to see 4,400 Americans killed, and Iran empowered. We supported the removal of Muammar Gaddafi from power in Libya, a country that remains a chaotic mess. We cheered the decimation of the Afghan Taliban in 2001, for a while.

It may be months or years before we understand the full repercussions of Trump’s military action, but it certainly put the lives of 40,000 US servicemembers at risk and kneecapped efforts toward long-term stability in the region. War should be a last resort following exhaustive diplomatic efforts and based on ironclad intelligence analysis. At best, last night was a massive gamble.

What’s more, I am deeply troubled by President Trump’s decision to enter this conflict without Congressional approval—a clear violation of Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution which grants the authority to declare war explicitly to Congress. For years, I have believed that the Legislative Branch must reclaim its war powers, and I have introduced bills to do so during both Democratic and Republican Administrations. The men and women of our armed forces risk their lives in our nation’s defense. The determination to send them into danger demands a thoughtful, thorough debate in Congress, not the decision of one man.

Please know that I remain committed to doing whatever possible to avoid more unwise wars in the Middle East. In my role on the Intelligence Committee, I have unique insight into our information and decision-making. I will continue to pursue answers on how the Administration justifies their decision, and what the global fallout of their risky gamble might be. I promise to keep you informed.

Sincerely,

Jim