U.S. House of Representatives Symbolically Votes  to End War Against Iran

The  US House of Representatives voted on   Wednesday on  a symbolic resolution demanding the withdrawal of the US armed forces from the ongoing military operations against Tehran, dealing a direct political blow to US President Donald Trump, in a move that reflects the escalating political division within the United States over the feasibility of this war.

The resolution, introduced by Democratic Rep. Gregory Meeks, received 215 votes to 208 against, after four Republican lawmakers joined the Democratic caucus: Thomas Massey, Brian Fitzpatrick, Warren Davidson and Tom Barrett, and is the fourth attempt by Congress to limit the president's powers to manage military conflicts without legislative authorization.

Time limit and overriding authority

The new order obliges the US president to withdraw troops from operations against Iran unless Congress is formally authorized to use military force or legally declares war, noting that the continuation of military operations for more than 90 days requires legislative approval, a time limit that has been exceeded by the war that has been ongoing since late February.

The vote came nearly two weeks after House Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly suspended the House to block the passage of the resolution amid signs of success with the support of Republican lawmakers, before a majority succeeded in enforcing it on Wednesday's vote.

Possible veto

The House of Representatives referred the resolution to the Senate, where a group of Republicans joined Democrats last month to introduce a similar bill, but the resolution's chances of making a practical impact remain "limited and almost symbolic," as overriding a potential presidential "veto" would require the approval of a two-thirds majority in both chambers, a far-fetched scenario given the current balance of power.

The White House was quick to downplay the significance of the move, with a US official calling the decision "unconstitutional" and lacking any executive power, stressing that Trump would continue to use his constitutional powers as commander-in-chief to protect national security.

Internal Attraction

The  accelerated legislative developments  come at a time when the military front is witnessing a lack of clear signs of tangible progress in Washington-Tehran negotiations on the Middle East war. 

The newspaper said that despite the temporary ceasefire announced since April 8, amid a continuous exchange of fire between the US and Iranian sides, this movement coincides with a continuous decline in popular support for the war, amid the Republican Party's fears that the rise in fuel prices and the costs of the war will negatively impact their chances in the midterm elections scheduled for next November.

Republican division and democratic discontent

The lawmakers' decision sparked  a sharp division under the dome of Congress, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio warning, during a hearing on the Foreign Affairs Committee, that restricting war powers would give Tehran a message of weakness that it would believe the administration was incapable of acting.

 Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast called the move a "frivolous and ridiculous political vote."

Democrats, on the other hand, considered the vote to be a direct and clear message to the US president that the time has come to end what they described as an "illegitimate and unpopular war", stressing their determination to fulfill their constitutional role as a supervisory authority that balances the powers of the executive branch.

Widening of disagreements with the White House

US sources explained to the newspaper that the latest vote revealed the extent of the differences between Trump and his party's lawmakers, as the challenge was not limited to the war file, but the Senate witnessed widespread objections to the Trump-backed "Anti-Politicization Fund" project, worth $1.8 billion, as well as the Council's cancellation of funding that was allocated to secure a ballroom linked to White House projects for violating budget rules.