Rand Paul Is The Lone Republican Senator To Support War Powers Resolution Limiting Trump's Ability To Wage War In Iran

Rand Paul was the lone Republican senator to support the War Powers Resolution that would have limited President Donald Trump's ability to continue waging war in Iran.

The vote was 53-47, short of the simple majority needed to move the resolution to the Senate floor. It sought to remove ""the United States Armed Forces from hostilities within or against Iran, unless explicitly authorized by a declaration of war or a specific authorization for use of military force." It was introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine, with Paul cosponsoring the initiative.

Paul has been highly critical of the Trump administration's military campaigns overseas, also supporting a War Powers Resolution related to hostilities in Venezuela that ended up with the capture of authoritarian President Nicolas Maduro.

Back then, he took aim at Marco Rubio, saying he was "secretly pushing for regime change in Venezuela" and that "any step toward regime change" in the country was "too serious to bypass Congress." The resolution was voted down and the administration ended up moving forward with the operation.

Paul also criticized the strikes against the Iranian regime last Saturday, saying that "like most Americans I have sympathy for the plight of the Iranian people and all subjected people around the globe, from North Korea to Tibet," but quoted John Quincy Adam and said the U.S. "goes not abroad, in search of monsters to destroy."

"The Constitution conferred the power to declare or initiate war to Congress for a reason, to make war less likely. Madison wrote that 'the Executive Branch is the branch most prone to war, therefore, the Constitution, with studied care, delegated the war power to the legislature.' As with all war, my first and purest instinct is wish Americans soldiers safety and success in their mission. But my oath of office is to the Constitution, so with studied care, I must oppose another Presidential war," he added.