Bulwark Takes Sen. Kaine on Iran War: “Have we learned nothing?”
Mar 4, 2026
Tim Kaine, U.S. Senator from Virginia and former governor, pushes for congressional authorization before major military actions. He forces a Senate vote on blocking unilateral strikes on Iran. He questions administration rationales, compares past war votes, and demands clear legal and targeting answers. He stresses accountability and lessons not learned from Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Use War Powers Resolution To Require A Vote
- Force congressional debate before military action.
- Tim Kaine will use the War Powers Resolution to require a Senate vote on any new hostilities with Iran rather than allowing unilateral presidential action.
Congress Avoids War Votes To Duck Accountability
- Members avoid war votes to dodge accountability even though Constitution assigns Congress that duty.
- Kaine argues this avoidance has deep roots, noting early Congresses preferred to let presidents act and then take credit or blame afterward.
Middle East Wars Often Become Protracted And Costly
- Middle East wars often snowball into long, costly conflicts despite initial justifications.
- Kaine recalls Iraq and Afghanistan: 14,000 U.S. deaths, hundreds of thousands of civilians killed, and roughly $8 trillion spent.