Senate Democrats introduce measure to bar attack on Oman

WASHINGTON — Two Democratic senators filed a resolution Wednesday to prohibit the use of U.S. forces to attack Oman after President Donald Trump threatened to bomb the country.

The measure was introduced by Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Adam Schiff of California and seeks to prevent military action against Oman that has not been authorized by Congress.

It is the latest move by Democrats to force the Trump administration to obtain congressional approval before launching combat operations abroad and follows a vote by the House on Tuesday night to halt the war in Iran.

“This resolution will make it clear that the American people and the U.S. Senate reject any additional deployment of our service members for new wars around the globe,” Schiff said.

Trump has issued several threats in recent months against Oman, a longtime American ally located across the Strait of Hormuz from Iran.

In May, when news emerged that Oman could partner with Iran to charge transit fees in the strategic waterway, Trump said, “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up.”

Last month, a Fox News reporter said Trump told him in an interview that if Oman “gets in the way” of U.S. efforts to reach a peace deal with Tehran, “we’ll bomb the [expletive] out of them.”

Kaine and Schiff warned that previous threats by Trump had led to military action, pointing to the war in Iran and strikes against Venezuela.

Their resolution describes Oman as an important U.S. partner that has played a key role in regional diplomacy and mediation, including talks that have led to the release of American hostages.

“Congress has not declared war upon the Sultanate of Oman or upon any person or organization within Oman, nor enacted a specific statutory authorization for use of military force against Oman,” the measure states.

Kaine said the American public does not want more war as the conflict in Iran drags on. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Tuesday that the war has cost $38 billion and significantly depleted U.S. munitions.

“The use of the U.S. military has a time and a place, but President Trump’s chaotic and expansive use of the military isn’t making Americans more secure,” Kaine said in a statement.

Kaine is one of the Senate’s leading proponents of asserting Congress’ constitutional authority to declare war and has filed multiple war powers resolutions to prevent unauthorized hostilities.

Collectively, the Senate and the House have voted five times to direct Trump to end the war in Iran. Seven Republicans broke with their party in Tuesday’s vote to support the measure, which does not carry the force of law.

Trump is expected to veto any legally binding war powers resolution that reaches his desk.