In an interview with Pakistan’s Geo TV he asked the White House to back off and not have another perpetual war.
Eliot Engel said he was certainly not in favor of wars. He continued by admitting that, ‘The United States, frankly, has been involved in too many wars in the last twenty years. And, I think it’s time to back off and not have a perpetual war’.
The Chairman Foreign Affairs Committee made it clear that ‘backing off doesn’t mean we put our heads in the sand and do nothing.
President Trump's aggressive approach against Iran has alarmed Democrats. The unilateral withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) or the nuclear deal was the first strong signal. And, the assassination of a serving General of Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) was another solid indication that the drums of war were beating.
For politicians like Eliot Engel, assassinating General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad was "an ill-advised action". After all, the general was on an official visit.
Citing long wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Eliot Engel said that "both those wars were instituted by the President of the United States of that time. I think it’s time for Congress to take back what the constitution has rightfully given it".
Eliot Engle said that the Foreign Affairs Committee had held a hearing and asked Secretary Pompeo to attend it. But, he didn’t. In the coming weeks, there will be more hearings.
Chairman Engle observed that ‘The congress is a co-equal branch of government. It means that the president is not a king or a dictator. And, he has to deal with congress.
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