Dem: Obama doesn’t have power to deploy more troops

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is calling President Obama’s plan to send 1,500 more troops into Iraq a “temporary Band-Aid” and said it should have been considered by Congress. 

{mosads}”I do not think president has the ability under current authority to authorize 1,500 troops without Congress acting,” Murphy said in an interview with CNN’s “State of the Union.”

He pointed to the hundreds of thousands of troops who unsuccessfully tried to build up the government in the war-torn country over the last decade and questioned the impact of just 1,500 troops.

“I want to make sure this is a realistic mission,” he added.

He said, unless the Iraqis pledge that political compromise is in the future, then the U.S. ground forces are “just a temporary solution.”

He also said he does not believe that the president has the constitutional power to send 1,500 troops without an act from Congress because it has been more than 60 days since he announced his strategy — a stipulation of the War Powers Act.

He said those concerns would likely surface in Congress when lawmakers return this week.

“I think a lot of us are going to be very reluctant to support this kind of infusion of group troops absent some suggestions,” he said.