Sen. Lisa Murkowski says we can preserve democracy. ‘But it takes work’ : NPR
Juana Summers of NPR speaks with senator Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, of her new memories that speak of the place she occupies in her party.
Ari Shapiro, host:
The last 24 hours have brought various reactions to American strikes on Iranian nuclear installations. Democrats and even some Republicans condemned attack as unconstitutional. They criticized President Trump for having moved without authorization from Congress. A republican senator supporting the case for targeted strikes is the Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. She has the reputation of shaking her party and President Trump on other questions. She came out with a new memory that talks about the place she occupies in her party. Our Cohost Juana Summers spoke with Murkowski this morning just before Iran’s attack on a key American base in Qatar, and Murkowski said that the next 48 to 72 hours will be crucial.
Juana Summers, host:
Senator Lisa Murkowski, welcome.
Lisa Murkowski: Thank you. Delighted to be with you.
Summers: I just want to start by asking you for your reaction to the strikes.
Murkowski: Well, I think President Trump clearly said that his desire was to negotiate with Iran, to move Iran from the ability of nuclear weapons. This is something that is not the desire of President Trump. No one in the world wants Iran to have nuclear weapons with, perhaps, with the exception of Iran. And so the effort to evolve towards a form of negotiated regulations, I think, was important.
I think that the administration, that President Trump realized, at one point, that Iran did not take this seriously. And so he moved to a very decisive action, from very precise targets to these three sites to eliminate the nuclear capacity of Iran. I think it remains to be seen to what extent everything has been destroyed. But with just as fresh as this weekend news, I think we are more than worried, okay, oh, what comes next?
Summers: You have law training, as you write in your memories, and some of your colleagues from Capitol Hill have challenged the constitutionality of these strikes, arguing that they were carried out without authorization from Congress for Congress. What do you tell them?
Murkowski: The law on war powers is therefore specific in terms of congress participation if the president heads for attacks. But that gives him, as commander -in -chief, the authority of implementing targeted strikes in the event of an emergency or a threat event. Our role in the congress under the law on war powers is then, within a limited period – excuse me, behind a second here – that there would be a notification in the congress within 48 hours of such an attack. And then the Congress has some time – 60 days – to weigh. I think it is clear in the Constitution that it is Congress which has the power to declare a war. It is the president, it is the commander -in -chief, who then moves to implement him.
We are going to have a debate on the Senate prosecution this week. Senator Tim Kaine introduced a resolution of war powers. Before going to this subject, we will have the opportunity for a briefing in all members, a classified briefing to further detail the decision -making process. And I think it will be instructive when we go ahead in this next process as to a potential vote on the law on war powers.
Summers: Vice-president JD Vance says that this does not mean that the United States is at war with Iran or its citizens, only the war against its nuclear program. But to what extent are you worried that this decision can put American citizens in danger either in the region or even here at home?
Murkowski: Well, I think we are all concerned, right? It is not only about the security of the Americans, but also the security for our friends in Israel, our friends and our allies. And so, when you have a targeted attack led like you, hopefully, has removed the nuclear capacities of a country that we have pushed stops during all these years, you must worry about reprisals. What will it look like? How will it have an impact on us and the threat that exists? And I think that several have already said that several hours in the last hours that in the coming 48, 72 hours, because we see how Iran will react will be very, very revealing.
Should we worry? Yes, but I think it is important to put it in context. Iran has been threatening their continuous efforts to their own nuclear capacities for too long. It is, in itself, this threat which should make us all worry. But it is really – the president said, it is really in the hands of Iran as to what comes next. The path of negotiations is still very, very open.
Shapiro: And you can find out more about Juana’s conversation with republican senator Lisa Murkowski about her new memories, “Far from Home”, tomorrow on everything that is considered.
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