The Republican-led US Senate signaled mounting opposition to continuing the Iran war in a procedural vote Tuesday, reflecting deepening political unease over a foreign conflict that is taking a financial toll on Americans.
Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy, whose re-election bid President Donald Trump thwarted in a Republican primary Saturday, joined three other GOP senators voting to clear the hurdle and move toward a final vote on a resolution to cease hostilities. It was the first time Cassidy has supported the measure and an indication that Trump's campaign of retribution against him has freed him to openly oppose the president.
The 50-47 vote is a clear warning of eroding support for military action as Trump contemplates launching a new assault on Iran. It's unclear whether the resolution will ultimately pass the Senate.
Trump said he held off on a new bombardment of Iran planned for Tuesday at the request of Saudi Arabia and other Persian Gulf countries. But he threatened Iran with "another big hit" if Tehran doesn't make a deal with him.
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Senate passage of the war powers resolution calling for an end to hostilities - which awaits a future vote - wouldn't immediately force a halt to military operations. The measure would also have to pass the GOP-controlled House before going to the president for his signature, meaning Trump would be able to veto the measure before it took effect.
But even the symbolic impact of a formal Senate repudiation of the war would be immense - showing division with the US government to both a global and domestic audience.
Still, the president has time to try to sway senators ahead of the vote on the war powers resolution.
Cassidy said the White House and Pentagon "have left Congress in the dark" on Iran, adding that until the Trump administration "provides clarity, no congressional authorization or extension can be justified."
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Three Republicans, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, John Cornyn of Texas and Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, did not vote. Trump has sparred with Tillis and on Tuesday endorsed Cornyn's GOP opponent. Shortly after the vote, Cornyn announced he was canceling campaign events to return to Washington.
The Senate earlier this year voted to advance a similar resolution on the Venezuela conflict, only to defeat it on final passage after Trump said Republicans who voted to advance it should never win another election.
But the political calculus for senators may be starting to shift. Americans have shown rising frustration with the economic toll of the conflict, which has driven the average national price for regular gasoline to $4.53 per gallon as of Tuesday at a time when consumers were already upset over the cost of living.
Sixty-four percent of Americans said going to war with Iran was the wrong decision, according to a New York Times/Siena poll released Monday.
In addition to Cassidy, Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine and Rand Paul of Kentucky joined nearly all Democrats to advance the measure. All three previously supported the resolution. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman was the only Democrat to vote against advancing it.
Opposition is also growing in the House, which was tied on a vote last week to stop the war. The House is also expected to vote again on a war powers resolution this week.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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