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Brian Finucane

@bcfinucane.bsky.social

Senior Adviser, US Program, International Crisis Group. Editor at Just Security. Non-Resident Senior Fellow at Reiss Center on Law and Security at NYU Law. Ex State Dept Lawyer. War Powers| Use of Force| Counterterrorism| Law of War| War Crimes| Arms Sales

27,902 Followers  |  3,920 Following  |  10,501 Posts  |  Joined: 04.10.2023
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Posts by Brian Finucane (@bcfinucane.bsky.social)

Post image 05.03.2026 16:55 β€” πŸ‘ 7    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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Exclusive: Trump says he must be involved in picking Iran's next leader "Khamenei's son is unacceptable to me. We want someone that will bring harmony and peace to Iran."

Curious what role the Iranian Constitution specifies for the US President in this process...

POTUS still pursuing the Venezuela model in Iran and looking for his new Delcy Rodriguez.

www.axios.com/2026/03/05/i...

05.03.2026 16:26 β€” πŸ‘ 23    πŸ” 5    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 3

it slices, it dices...

05.03.2026 16:05 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

If Congress wants to stop the reported half-baked plan to use Kurdish fighters to further destabilize Iran, it might want to dust off the Boland Amendment.

05.03.2026 15:47 β€” πŸ‘ 25    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

"You're dealing with a lot of lawyers in your own country, I'm sure. You have my permission not to listen to them."

hahaha

No need to indulge in the presumption that this administration's uses of military forceβ€”against supposed narcos or otherwiseβ€”are lawful.

05.03.2026 15:10 β€” πŸ‘ 485    πŸ” 92    πŸ’¬ 20    πŸ“Œ 2

And Senator, you voted to authorize this war when exactly?

05.03.2026 15:03 β€” πŸ‘ 86    πŸ” 25    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

war mongering mad libs

05.03.2026 15:02 β€” πŸ‘ 680    πŸ” 112    πŸ’¬ 26    πŸ“Œ 2
05.03.2026 15:00 β€” πŸ‘ 33    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Apt characterization of the Article I Crisis

05.03.2026 14:27 β€” πŸ‘ 889    πŸ” 208    πŸ’¬ 8    πŸ“Œ 2

Don't know, but there may be folks familiar with the NH National Guard on here.

05.03.2026 14:11 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

When bloodthirsty bigotry becomes self parody.

(Peter is of course correct. That is why aggression is an international crime.)

05.03.2026 14:01 β€” πŸ‘ 36    πŸ” 12    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
There was little to no argument from the administration before the war for why one should begin. To Finucane, the last week β€œillustrates very clearly why the U.S. Constitution requires congressional authorization to wage war.”

β€œWe could have had a public debate about whether this expenditure of blood and treasure is worth it. We have a collective decision-making body of the people’s elected reps to weigh in as the administration makes its case,” he added. β€œNone of that happened here.”

There was little to no argument from the administration before the war for why one should begin. To Finucane, the last week β€œillustrates very clearly why the U.S. Constitution requires congressional authorization to wage war.” β€œWe could have had a public debate about whether this expenditure of blood and treasure is worth it. We have a collective decision-making body of the people’s elected reps to weigh in as the administration makes its case,” he added. β€œNone of that happened here.”

05.03.2026 13:58 β€” πŸ‘ 10    πŸ” 2    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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The One Real Lever Congress Has to Stop Trump’s Iran War The Trump administration is waging war on Iran without congressional authorization, violating...

Pleased to speak with @joshkovensky.bsky.social for @talkingpointsmemo.com about Iran and war powers.

"The ultimate war power is the power of the purse."

talkingpointsmemo.com/news/iran-wa...

05.03.2026 13:55 β€” πŸ‘ 45    πŸ” 21    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

On congressional Iran hawks who oppose war powers legislation:

1) Haven't seen any introduce a recent Iran AUMF to authorize this war.

2) Likely b/c they know it would be deeply unpopular & fail. And they don't want to own a vote for war.

3) So they surrender their constitutional power to POTUS.

05.03.2026 13:53 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 13    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 1

Pleased to speak with @qjurecic.bsky.social for @theatlanticpr.bsky.social.

β€œThe president has unilaterally kicked off a regional war. That is a real departure from prior unilateral uses of military force in recent decades.”

05.03.2026 13:37 β€” πŸ‘ 42    πŸ” 18    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

Seems the US military may have taken away a different lesson than some of us from Israel's use of AI in targeting in the opening days of the Gaza war in 2023.

05.03.2026 12:07 β€” πŸ‘ 34    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0

"None of the funds provided in this Act may be used by the [CIA or DoD] to furnish military equipment, military training or
advice, or other support for military activities . . . for the purpose of overthrowing the Government
of Nicaragua..."

Somehow Iran-Contra funding restrictions seem relevant

05.03.2026 04:20 β€” πŸ‘ 50    πŸ” 9    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 1

Did prison ministry back in the day

05.03.2026 04:07 β€” πŸ‘ 28    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 3    πŸ“Œ 0

Could be some downsides to refusing to discharge your constitutional duties as a member of Congress.

04.03.2026 21:11 β€” πŸ‘ 126    πŸ” 32    πŸ’¬ 4    πŸ“Œ 1
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James Fishback Banned From Waffle House After Tucker Carlson Interview Florida gubernatorial candidate James Fishback announced on Wednesday that he was banned from the restaurant chain Waffle House.

Having spent a lot of quality time at various Waffle House locations, I'm contemplating the sort of behavior that might merit banishment.

www.mediaite.com/media/news/f...

05.03.2026 02:27 β€” πŸ‘ 39    πŸ” 6    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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Encourage folks to watch Congressman Warren Davidson's remarks over at the other place.

Upholding the Constitution and ending the administration's illegal war requires a broad coalition.

x.com/WarrenDavids...

05.03.2026 02:18 β€” πŸ‘ 35    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 1

BTW, where is that drone blasting laser that was down at the southern border?

Was it too busy blasting party balloons and DHS UAVs to protect US troops in the Middle East?

05.03.2026 01:46 β€” πŸ‘ 73    πŸ” 10    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0
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a close up of a man 's face in a dark room . ALT: a close up of a man 's face in a dark room .
05.03.2026 01:43 β€” πŸ‘ 2    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

"How do you ask a man to be the last man to die for a mistake?"

05.03.2026 01:39 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

πŸ‘€

05.03.2026 01:31 β€” πŸ‘ 19    πŸ” 4    πŸ’¬ 0    πŸ“Œ 0

Americans have agency on that front

05.03.2026 01:17 β€” πŸ‘ 1    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0

In 1973, Congress almost shut down the government in a funding fight to stop Operation Freedom Deal, an unauthorized bombing campaign in Cambodia.

05.03.2026 01:14 β€” πŸ‘ 48    πŸ” 8    πŸ’¬ 2    πŸ“Œ 0
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β€˜We’re in it’: Democrats won’t rule out giving Trump more money for Middle East war Democrats will have to balance a desire to criticize Trump’s offensive in Iran with pressure to support funding to defend the nation now at war.

Tapping the sign:

The power of the purse is the ultimate war power.

(How Congress forced an end to US involvement in the Vietnam War.)

www.politico.com/news/2026/03...

05.03.2026 01:12 β€” πŸ‘ 196    πŸ” 57    πŸ’¬ 11    πŸ“Œ 15
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US air defenses may not be able to intercept many of Iran’s one-way drones | CNN Politics Trump administration officials told lawmakers during a closed-door briefing on Capitol Hill Tuesday that Iran’s Shahed attack drones represent a major challenge and US air defenses will not be able to...

Wonder if the US has any European security partners with relevant expertise with Shaheds?
edition.cnn.com/2026/03/04/p...

05.03.2026 01:04 β€” πŸ‘ 312    πŸ” 64    πŸ’¬ 19    πŸ“Œ 7

Time to drive up the road to DC/NoVA.

05.03.2026 01:00 β€” πŸ‘ 3    πŸ” 0    πŸ’¬ 1    πŸ“Œ 0