WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - With US President Donald Trump weighing 'all options on the table' in response to the deadly chemical-weapons attack that he blames on the Syrian government forces, top Democratic leaders have questioned his legal authority to order a military attack on Syria.
Sen. Bernie Sanders asserted that President Trump has no legal authority to deepen U.S. military involvement in Syria.
'It is Congress, not the president, who determines whether our country goes to war, and Congress must not abdicate that responsibility,' Sanders said in a statement.
According to Rep Adam Schiff, the Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, the legal basis for any military action should be 'a primary consideration, not an afterthought'. He noted that the Trump Administration has still not explained the basis for the 2017 missile strike on Syria.
The President's authority is not unlimited, said the top Democrat lawmaker representing California.
The series of war rhetorics were triggered by Trump putting the blame for Saturday's chemical-weapons attack in the rebel-held eastern city of Douma on the Syrian regime and its ally Russia, which provides military backing to Damascus.
The governments of Syria and Russia denied any responsibility, but Trump warned that his government is mulling several options for striking Syria.
Russia responded to it by warning Washington that it will 'bear responsibility' for any 'illegal military adventure' it carries out.
The head of the Russian military said that US missiles would be shot down and their launch sites targeted.
Trump replied to it by saying, 'Get ready Russia, because they will be coming, nice and new and 'smart!'.
But in a tweet Thursday, diluting his previous statement, Trump said he never said when an attack on Syria would take place. 'Could be very soon or not so soon at all! In any event, the United States, under my Administration, has done a great job of ridding the region of ISIS.'
Russia took a strong and serious stand amid a report that the chemical attack was carried out not by Syrian forces, but a rebel group fighting them in Eastern Ghouta.
Top Russian military officer, Lt. General Viktor Poznikhir, told reporters on Wednesday, 'On April 7, the notorious White Helmets, who operate as part of terrorist groups, staged and filmed a chemical weapons attack on civilians in the town of Douma'.
Copyright RTT News/dpa-AFX