434 House Reps Say ‘Nyet’ to Kinzinger’s WWIII Bill

It’s been a week since Illinois Congressman Adam Kinzinger (R, IL-16) introduced his Authorization for Use of Military Force to Defend America’s Allies Resolution of 2022 (AUMF) that would authorize President Biden to respond militarily to Russian use of chemical, biological, or nuclear weapons against Ukraine. Yet not a single one of Kinzinger’s 434 fellow House members has signed on as co-sponsor.

That indicates every one views Kinzinger’s bill with alarm that it essentially sets up a trip wire for U.S. to directly attack Russian forces in Ukraine. Once that occurs, nuclear war between the 2 nuclear superpowers, possessing over 13,000 nukes, becomes likely; indeed inevitable.

One insidious aspect of his AUMF is it could inspire a Ukrainian false flag chemical attack to draw America directly into the fighting. That almost worked in Syria in 2012 till Obama blinked at what was likely a rebel false flag attack.

Promoting US Russian conflict is not new territory for Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran Kinzinger. Shortly after the February 24 Russian invasion of Ukraine, Kinzinger proposed a No Fly Zone against Russian aircraft over Ukraine. Such a move was summarily rejected by President Biden who declared such a move was tantamount to igniting WWIII with Russia.

Kinzinger’s hard line anti-Russian agenda goes all the way back 8 years to his support of the US inspired coup that ousted pro Russian Ukraine president Victor Yanukovych, his support of NATO membership for Ukraine and support for arming the ultranationalist Ukraine government in their civil war against pro Russian Ukrainians in the Donbas. That now puts Kinzinger in the dubious position of goading the Russians to set up red lines against US aggression and now goading Congress to set up red lines against Russian aggression.

While a ratified AUMF may never be tested, or simply ignored if Russia did violate one of its prohibitions, it sets up a wholly irresponsible threat of nuclear war with no upside of ending the war in Ukraine.

One would have hoped Congressman Kinzinger would have learned the lessons from his service in 2 senseless US war that killed hundreds of thousands of Afghans and Iraqis. Kinzinger’s district, indeed all Americans, world be better served if he stuck with his noble work of ferreting out treason in the Trump Republican party, than flailing away at provoking nuclear war with Russia.

Walt Zlotow became involved in antiwar activities upon entering University of Chicago in 1963. He is current president of the West Suburban Peace Coalition based in the Chicago western suburbs. He blogs daily on antiwar and other issues at www.heartlandprogressive.blogspot.com.