Rand Paul, Mike Lee rip administration over 'insulting and demeaning' Iran briefing

[mystery-ak]

Rand Paul, Mike Lee rip administration over 'insulting and demeaning' Iran briefing
By Jordain Carney - 01/08/20 05:05 PM EST

GOP Sens. Mike Lee (Utah) and Rand Paul (Ky.) ripped the administration over a closed-door briefing on Iran on Wednesday, announcing they will now support a resolution reining in President Trump's military powers.

Lee, speaking to reporters after a roughly hourlong closed-door meeting with administration officials, characterized it as "the worst briefing I've seen, at least on a military issue."

Defense Secretary Mark Esper, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, CIA Director Gina Haspel and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley were dispatched to brief both the House and Senate on Wednesday amid days of concerns from lawmakers that Trump was on a path to war with Iran, which on Tuesday night launched missiles at Iraqi bases housing U.S. troops.

more
https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/477424-rand-paul-mike-lee-rip-administration-over-insulting-and-demeaning-iran

[mystery-ak]

GOP Sen. Mike Lee furiously slams 'worst military briefing' ever on Iran, as meeting divides lawmakers
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-mike-lee-worst-military-briefing-ever-iran

[mystery-ak]

‘This is a big deal’: Nicolle Wallace lauds Mike Lee for breaking from GOP 'zombies' to condemn Trump
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/this-is-a-big-deal-nicole-wallace-lauds-mike-lee-for-breaking-from-gop-zombies-to-condemn-trump

 

[libertybele]

‘This is a big deal’: Nicolle Wallace lauds Mike Lee for breaking from GOP 'zombies' to condemn Trump
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/this-is-a-big-deal-nicole-wallace-lauds-mike-lee-for-breaking-from-gop-zombies-to-condemn-trump

 

I used to like Lee, but there have been several times now where he has seemed to 'buck' the President and side with the Dems. He no longer seems like a straight shooter to me -- I think he is swayed by his dislike of Trump.

[Right_in_Virginia]

GOP Sen. Mike Lee furiously slams 'worst military briefing' ever on Iran, as meeting divides lawmakers
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/sen-mike-lee-worst-military-briefing-ever-iran

This is the bee in Lee's bonnet:

Lee emphasized that it was "distressing" that a briefer told Congress not to "debate" or "discuss" further military intervention in Iran because it would "embolden" Iran.

"I find this insulting and demeaning to the Constitution of the United States," Lee said. "It's un-American. It's unconstitutional.

Lee finds it insulting and demeaning to Lee, who apparently thinks he's a shadow president.  But okay, genius ... let's make sure the Ayatollah knows you support the democrats' efforts to tie the CIC's hands and neuter the United States in the process. 

I was never impressed with Lee's intellect; I always considered him Cruz-Lite .... but I am surprised to discover he is quite the effing drama queen. 

Disappointing to say the least.

[mystery-ak]

I was expecting this from the Dems I just wish Paul and Lee hadn't run to the microphones dissing this briefing..

[truth_seeker]

And another Republican that attended, said it was BS what Lee/Rand stated.

The briefers HAD to leave fr another meeting which they had warned they would be leavving to attend.

The fake outrage perhaps pleases Romnwy, though.And Rand's anti-war Librarians.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

This is the bee in Lee's bonnet:

Lee finds it insulting and demeaning to Lee, who apparently thinks he's a shadow president.  But okay, genius ... let's make sure the Ayatollah knows you support the democrats' efforts to tie the CIC's hands and neuter the United States in the process. 

I was never impressed with Lee's intellect; I always considered him Cruz-Lite .... but I am surprised to discover he is quite the effing drama queen. 

Disappointing to say the least.

A major part of the reason Iran didn't do more in retaliation is because they're likely convinced -- or at least very worried -- about Trump's threatened "disproportionate retaliation".  Public attempts to tie Trump's hands do nothing but reduce the credibility of that deterrent, and make an Iranian strike more likely.

It's really not hard to understand, and it certainly isn't either insulting or demeaning to make that argument.

[catfish1957]

My take on it is we took out maybe the most powerful perputators of terrorism in the world for the price of a few helicopters and some bent fence.  Then add the fact, that these bad actors in the middle east and elsewhere may now hesistate now, before attacking us. 

Obviously none of us were at that briefing, and had no idea what was or was not covered.  It very well may have been a substandard brief, since Trump's WH staff is undermanned.  Not enough glossy graphs Rand?  Wrong version of Powerpoint?

My major malfuction with Lee and Paul right now, is why did they have to cry to the media?  This could have been easily discussed internally instead of undermining the president.  Still puzzled by the motive of these comments.

[libertybele]

Rubio clarified what happened  --


Marco Rubio
‏Verified account @marcorubio

Some reporting about GOP Senator upset after Iran briefing leaves false impression it’s because information provided didn’t justify  #Soleimani strike

It was because administration didn’t offer hypothetical scenario requiring congressional authorization for military action
5:07 AM - 9 Jan 2020


Also --Ted Cruz's take (explanation @ video link below)  -- "Blumenthal's take was ... ridiculous" ---

Cruz: Trump Admin ‘Too Quick to Dismiss the Role of Congress’ in Iran Briefing


https://youtu.be/zACxAyVjSeA

[TomSea]

I have Mike Lee's book on the Constitution, well, he has his core-beliefs and he actually seems to be a big "Isolationist" type like Rand Paul or semi-isolationist along with being a big "constitutionalist", remember, he didn't want to set aside some federal funds for the wall.  Sometimes, I've got to respect people who are acting on their own core-beliefs and values even if I disagree. I doubt if even Mitt Romney were president, would you see Mike Lee set aside his beliefs to be a "team player". Just the way these guys are. Both of them, I'd wager, are big pro-lifers, those again, are values they have that it would be hard for them to ever act against.

[EdinVA]

I suspect that Trumps team left out info they did not want sneaking out of nancy's lips the next time she found a microphone.

[kevindavis007]

If I was President, I would have done the same thing. Kill the Terrorist, then brief Congress. I wouldn't trust them at all with sensative information. They have big mouths.

[Maj. Bill Martin]

I have Mike Lee's book on the Constitution, well, he has his core-beliefs and he actually seems to be a big "Isolationist" type like Rand Paul or semi-isolationist along with being a big "constitutionalist", remember, he didn't want to set aside some federal funds for the wall.  Sometimes, I've got to respect people who are acting on their own core-beliefs and values even if I disagree. I doubt if even Mitt Romney were president, would you see Mike Lee set aside his beliefs to be a "team player". Just the way these guys are. Both of them, I'd wager, are big pro-lifers, those again, are values they have that it would be hard for them to ever act against.

I'm really growing tired of the rather smug "only Congress can declare war" refrain from Lee, etc.. when it comes to things like Iraq.  Yes, only Congress can declare a war.  And formal declarations of war gives a President great power, including depriving Congress of the power to end that war without the President signing a treaty and the Senate meeting that 2/3 hurdle.

But the Constitution does not say that the President cannot deploy military forces unless there has been a declaration of war -- which would be easy enough to have said -- nor does it say that Congress cannot grant more restrictive authority to the President to use military forces in a more limited manner.  The idea that the President can't use military force absent a Declaration of War appears nowhere in the Constitution.  And in this case, Congress did give the President a rather broad AUMF, and if Lee has a problem with that, he should be angry with his fellow members who gave that AUMF to the President, not at the Administration that is simply acting under the broad authority granted by Congress.

[Right_in_Virginia]

Marco Rubio
Verified accountï‚™ @marcorubio 

Any Senator who left the briefing on #Iran & claims #Soleimani wasn’t planning a near term attack on Americans is calling the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Milley a liar.

Because Gen. Milley stated clearly & firmly that Soleimani was about to kill Americans.

4:01 AM - 9 Jan 2020

https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1215242295857090561

[Right_in_Virginia]

Marco Rubio
Verified accountï‚™ @marcorubio 

Some reporting about GOP Senator upset after Iran briefing leaves false impression it’s because information provided didn’t justify  #Soleimani strike

It was because administration didn’t offer hypothetical scenario requiring congressional authorization for military action

5:07 AM - 9 Jan 2020

https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1215258695329775616

[aligncare]

A major part of the reason Iran didn't do more in retaliation is because they're likely convinced -- or at least very worried -- about Trump's threatened "disproportionate retaliation".  Public attempts to tie Trump's hands do nothing but reduce the credibility of that deterrent, and make an Iranian strike more likely.

It's really not hard to understand, and it certainly isn't either insulting or demeaning to make that argument.

I think we can rightly thank CNN, et al, for Trump’s successful handling of Iran in this confrontation over killing their terrorist general.

Yes, indeed. The media did such a good job of painting Trump as dangerous, deranged, unpredictable, that the Mullahs in Iran made only a token retaliation (being careful not to kill anyone in the target zone), then they prayed to Allah Trump would not punish them in return.

Another win for the Trumpmiester!

[Right_in_Virginia]

I suspect that Trumps team left out info they did not want sneaking out of nancy's lips the next time she found a microphone.

Or from Omar's lips the next time she picked up the phone ....

[andy58-in-nh]

If our country were governed as it largely has been in the past, and if these were normal times, Lee's concerns would be understandable. 

But our nation is no longer governed by essentially virtuous people who love their country, but instead by self-serving careerists, dominated by a political party whose leaders actually detest their country as founded, and would like nothing more than to undermine its authority. 
 

[aligncare]

Mike Lee is on the far right and normally the media trash him. But, suddenly the media loves republican Lee and are reporting Lee’s comments blasting Trump and his administration every minute of the day.

But, what the media fail to mention is that Mike Lee is the biggest Trump hater and critic on the NeverTrump right in congress.

I gave up on Lee a long time ago.

[skeeter]

Mike Lee is on the far right and normally the media trash him. But, suddenly the media loves republican Lee and are reporting Lee’s comments blasting Trump and his administration every minute of the day.

But, what the media fail to mention is that Mike Lee is the biggest Trump hater and critic on the NeverTrump right in congress.

I gave up on Lee a long time ago.

At some point Mike Lee became owned by high tech. Not sure what the connection is, besides campaign contributions.

[catfish1957]

I'm really growing tired of the rather smug "only Congress can declare war" refrain from Lee, etc.. when it comes to things like Iraq.  Yes, only Congress can declare a war.  And formal declarations of war gives a President great power, including depriving Congress of the power to end that war without the President signing a treaty and the Senate meeting that 2/3 hurdle.

War Powers Act was very practical  back before the Information Age.  Nowadays, 2 weeks of miltary events can be squeezed into 2 hours.
Hamstringing our military will backfire on us