Sen. Rand Paul blocks Iran sanctions bill, calls for ‘thoughtful debate’ before we start another war

Business Insider: Rand Paul is singlehandedly trying to stop war with Iran:

The Senate was about to pass a bi-partisan bill imposing tough sanctions on Iran [yesterday] through “unanimous consent” – that means no floor debate or discussion. 

But Rand Paul, Kentucky’s ‘Tea Party’ senator, objected, which immediately prevents the easy passage. 

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) blocked an effort Tuesday to quickly pass a bipartisan bill imposing tough sanctions on Iran, demanding that Congress make clear that the United States is not rushing into another war.

Today, Sen. Rand Paul took to the Senate floor to oppose unanimous consent of a new set of sanctions on Iran and introduced an amendment that would ensure that nothing in the act shall be construed as a declaration of war or an authorization of the use of force against Iran or Syria, and that any such use of force must be authorized by Congress.

[partial transcript of his remarks on the floor:]

I’m amazed the Majority Party objects to an amendment which simply restates the Constitution.

…Many in this body cannot get boots on ground fast enough in a variety of places, from Syria to Libya to Iran. We don’t just send boots to war. We send our young Americans to war. Our young men and women, our soldiers, deserve thoughtful debate.

Before sending our young men and women into combat, we should have a mature and thoughtful debate over the ramifications of and over the authorization of war and over the motives of the war.

…My amendment is one sentence long. It states that nothing in this act is to be construed as a declaration of war or as an authorization of the use of force in Iran or Syria. I urge that we not begin a new war without a full debate, without a vote, without careful consideration of the ramifications of a third or even a fourth war in this past decade. I, therefore, respectively object.