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India.com
an hour ago
- Politics
- India.com
Can Trump Go To War With Iran? The 50-Year-Old Law That Few Presidents Fear
Washington/New Delhi: When President Donald Trump was asked on the White House lawn whether the United States might join Israel in its war with Iran, he gave a vague, provocative and open-ended reply in his signature style. 'I may do it. I may not,' he shrugged. The words were casual and almost dismissive. But they carried the weight of a nation. With every passing hour, the possibility of American boots stepping into a new Middle Eastern firestorm seems less hypothetical. His administration, too, has made its stance clear. 'He (Trump) is the one making the decisions. What comes next is his call,' said State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce. But not everyone agrees that war should hinge on one man's instinct. Some lawmakers and peace advocates are once again invoking a nearly forgotten piece of legislation that was supposed to stop presidents from doing exactly this. It is called the War Powers Act, which was passed in 1973. It was meant to rein in the president's power to send soldiers into foreign battles without Congress's approval. Whether it still has any real teeth, though, is up for debate. A Promise Made After a Bloody Past The War Powers Resolution was born from the trauma of Vietnam – a war launched with no formal declaration, prolonged through executive decisions and paid for with tens of thousands of American lives. When it finally passed, over President Nixon's veto, the Congress was trying to reclaim some control over the blood and money being spent without their consent. The law says the president must inform the Congress within 48 hours of any military action. It also sets a 60-to-90-day limit unless lawmakers approve an extension. The idea was to stop secret wars and endless deployments without public scrutiny. But that is not how things unfolded. The last time the Congress formally declared war was 1942. Since then, U.S. presidents have sent troops to Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan and dozens of other countries – sometimes for full-scale invasions, other times for airstrikes or covert missions. Instead of declarations of war, the Congress started using something called an Authorisation for Use of Military Force (AUMF). After 9/11, one such authorisation gave President George W. Bush sweeping powers to pursue terrorists across the globe. Another, in 2002, authorised military action against Saddam Hussein's Iraq. Those authorisations are still being used today. Trump cited the 2002 AUMF to justify the assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani in 2020. That strike nearly brought the United States and Iran to the brink of war without the Congress ever voting on it. The Constitution says the Congress has the power. So what happened? Technically, the U.S. Constitution gives the Congress the authority to declare war. But over the decades, that power has been slowly swallowed by the executive branch. The president is the commander-in-chief. That title, often interpreted loosely, has become a tool to bypass Capitol Hill. Even when lawmakers try to reassert themselves, they run into brick walls. In 2019, the Congress voted to end U.S. support for the Saudi-led war in Yemen. Trump vetoed it. In 2020, after the Soleimani strike, both the House and Senate passed a resolution to limit the president's ability to strike Iran. Trump vetoed that too. The Congress did not have the votes to override him. What Happens Now? As tensions rise again, with Israel bombing Iranian sites and Iran responding in kind, some lawmakers are trying to stop a wider war before it starts. Senator Tim Kaine has introduced legislation requiring Trump to seek congressional approval before launching strikes on Iran. Congressman Ro Khanna and Senator Bernie Sanders are backing similar bills. But with both chambers now under the Republican control, the chances of these bills surviving a veto are slim. The real test is not legal. It is political. Do lawmakers have the courage and the numbers to pull the brakes on a president ready to act unilaterally? The War Powers Act matters; but in practice, it rarely stops anything. More than 100 times since 1973, presidents have reported military action to the Congress under the law. But very few of those actions were ever challenged or reversed. Critics say the law is toothless and more of a formality than a firewall. Even former President Joe Biden, who once criticised its limits as a senator, has sidestepped the War Powers Act in recent years. Regardless of who is in charge, the White House tends to argue that 'emergency' powers and AUMFs are enough. As war brews once more in the Middle East, the stakes are no longer hypothetical. Americans could again be drawn into a conflict that starts with one missile but escalates quickly beyond control. The War Powers Act was written to stop exactly that. Whether it can still do the job or whether Trump will ignore it like so many presidents before him remains an open question. But if history offers any warning, it is this – once the war begins, the Congress may be the last to find out, and the people the last to understand why.
India.com
2 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
Vivek Lagoo, ex-husband of late actress Reema Lagoo dies at 74
Vivek Lagoo, ex-husband of late actress Reema Lagoo dies at 74 The news of Vivek's demise was shared by journalist Vickey Lalwani. Meanwhile, the reason for Vivek's death has not been made public. By Mallika Mehzabeen Advertisement Late veteran actress Reema Lagoo's ex-husband Vivek Lagoo passed away at the age of 74 on June 19. According to reports, the funeral of Vivek will take place on June 20. His last rites will be performed at the Oshiwara crematorium. The news of Vivek's demise was shared by journalist Vickey Lalwani. Meanwhile, the reason for Vivek's death has not been made public. Though Vivek maintained a low profile in recent years, he made notable contributions to both theatre and films such as Ugly, What About Savarkar?, and 31 Divas. Vivek married Reema in 1978 after a brief courtship period. However, the two parted ways. Despite going their separate paths, they maintained cordial relations. Advertisement === Reema and Vivek first met in 1976 while they were working at a bank. The two quickly bonded, and their love story began. Later, in 1978, they got married. But when Reema and Vivek separated, the latter described it as 'an understanding to restructure our lives,' emphasising the mutual respect they maintained for each other even after their split. Vivek and Reema's daughter, Mrunmayee Lagoo Waikul, is their only child and the sole surviving member of the family. She has proudly carried forward the family's artistic legacy and became a writer as well as a director, Mrunmayee has worked on critically acclaimed projects which includes Thappad and Scoop, establishing herself as a prominent voice in modern Indian storytelling. Advertisement === Vivek Lagoo's death comes seven years after Reema Lagoo's sudden demise in 2017. The veteran actress complained of chest pain shortly after wrapping up a shoot for the TV show Naamkarann. She was rushed to a hospital but succumbed to a heart attack that night. Reema's last rites were also performed at the Oshiwara crematorium.
India.com
2 hours ago
- General
- India.com
‘The Window Shook, The Sky Lit Up': Indian Students Recount Their Escape From War-Torn Iran
New Delhi: The fear does not fade quickly – not after you have watched missiles streak above your roof, not after you have wondered if you would make it home again. One by one, the Indian students – who were evacuated from different regions of Iran – stepped off a special flight in New Delhi this week carried more than just their luggage. They brought home stories of survival – of days spent in fear, of parents who did not sleep and of goodbyes they did not expect to say so soon. Yasir Ghaffar had been in Iran pursuing his studies when the war spiraled. He remembers the nights clearly. The sound of sirens. The shaking windows. The flash in the sky. 'I saw things I never imagined. I saw missiles and heard explosions echo through the night. I am grateful to be back. I will return when peace returns,' he said. Yasir was among 110 Indian students evacuated from northern Iran as part of Operation Sindhu, a government-led mission launched after tensions between Israel and Iran escalated dramatically. The students were first driven to Armenia across the border, then flown out from Yerevan under the Indian embassy's supervision. Their families had been waiting in Delhi, many since the night before – clinging to updates and praying for names on manifests. 'The Window Shook as the Missile Passed Over' Maryam Rose was studying at a university dormitory in Urmia, one of the northern cities close to the conflict zone. Her voice trembled as she described what she lived through. 'One night at 3 AM, a missile flew over our building. The entire window of my room rattled. We could see the trails in the sky. It did not feel real until it did,' she narrated the horror. She still remembers the panic in her dorm – students waking each other, checking on friends and calling family back home. Another student, Aman Nazar from Delhi, said returning felt surreal. 'It is hard to put into words what it means to see your family again. My father has been waiting for days. The situation back there was unbearable. I did not think we would get out,' he said. For Humaira Sadiq, the joy of reuniting with her parents comes with a different kind of heartbreak – the interruption of her studies. She was in her final year and had planned to return home after graduation. 'I never imagined I would have to leave like this. It is painful. But when things unfolded the way they did, we had no choice. We could not even think of completing the semester,' she said. Parents Who Waited, Prayed and Held On Hours before Maaz Haider's arrival were some of the longest for his parents. They waited outside the airport gates from midnight. 'He called us from Iran and said he wanted to come back. He felt the tension there. Before we could even book anything, the government had already begun evacuations. That was a blessing,' said his father. Haider's eyes were fixed on the arrival gate. Arshi, his wife, kept whispering prayers. Another father, Dr. Parvez Alam from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh, stood silently with a garland for his son Samir, who returned after two years in Urmia studying medicine. 'When the bombs started falling, the worry at home never stopped. Every day felt longer than the last. Now that he is back, I can finally breathe,' said Dr. Alam. Operation Sindhu: A Brief Introduction The Indian government launched the operation in response to the rapid military escalation between Israel and Iran, especially after strikes intensified in Tehran, Isfahan and other major cities. Phase-1 of the evacuation focused on students from Urmia and surrounding areas. These students were first moved by road to Armenia, from where they boarded a special flight to New Delhi. More Indian nationals, including those stuck deeper within Iran, are expected to be evacuated in the coming days. As the war rages on, those who made it out cannot help but think of the classmates and friends still behind. And while they are grateful, the weight of what they have witnessed and those they have left behind will stay with them.
India.com
3 hours ago
- General
- India.com
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India.com
3 hours ago
- Business
- India.com
Pakistan, China in tension as India to get new missile system named..., can fire 12 missiles in just 44 seconds, it's dangerous because...
Pinaka rocket launchers India to get new 300-km range Pinaka missile system: In a significant development for Indian defence system and a bad news for China and Pakistan, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) will soon begin manufacturing new variants of the Pinaka rocket system with extended ranges of 120 km and 300 km. According to DRDO Chairman Dr. Samir V. Kamat as quoted by the Economic Times, the rocket launchers rocket systems are expected to be inducted into the Indian Army within the next three to five years. About Pinaka MBRL The Pinaka MBRL is a state-of-the-art indirect fire weapon system engineered to neutralise area targets with high precision and rapid response. Designed to launch 12 rockets from a stationary, it is engineered to neutralise area targets with high precision and rapid response inclined position, the system offers swift deployment and exceptional accuracy, making it highly effective against time-sensitive and critical enemy threats. DRDO signs licensing agreement with NIBE Ltd for Pinaka MBRL and Battery Command Post In a significant development from last month, the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) signed a Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology (LAToT) with NIBE Limited for the Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) and the Battery Command Post (BCP), as per a report by ANI news agency. The agreement aims to strengthen the industrial base for the development and manufacturing of indigenous defence equipment. In a post on X, DRDO stated, 'In an effort to enhance the industrial base in development and manufacturing of indigenous defence equipment, Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), DRDO signed Licensing Agreement for Transfer of Technology(LAToT) of Pinaka Multi Barrel Rocket Launcher (MBRL) and Battery Command Post (BCP) with M/s NIBE Limited, Pune.' (With inputs from agencies)
