Senator Rand Paul introduced an amendment to the resolution supporting Finland & Sweden joining NATO that would prevent U.S. from auto defending them based on the obligations of common defense under NATO’s article 5. Finland and Sweden held out from joining NATO for decades, but recent Russian hostility in Ukraine, coupled with statements from the Kremlin that they may seek to reassert borders seen under the USSR, prompted them to apply for membership.
PAUL: My reservation merely reasserts that Article 5 of the NATO treaty does not supersede congress's constitutional responsibility to declare war before the US commits troops to war. The founders designed the separation of War Powers to ensure that the decision to engage in hostilities would be made only after serious deliberation according to our constitution, the United States would resort to war only after the collective wisdom of the people's elected representatives determine war is in the best interest, we know this because our Founders told us.
