House Democrats help GOP kill Rashida Tlaib push to constrain Trump on Lebanon

The majority of House Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to defeat a Lebanon war powers resolution forced to the House floor by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).Why it matters: It's a blow to the anti-war left just one day after the House passed a similar measure constraining Trump's ability to wage war in Iran.Wednesday's Iran vote was the result of months of behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic leadership to get the party's most staunchly pro-Israel lawmakers on board, along with a handful of Republicans.But Thursday's vote reveals that there are still deep divisions between progressive and centrist Democrats on Middle East policy despite their unity on Iran.Driving the news: The House voted 92 to 324 against Tlaib's resolution, which would have directed President Trump to remove all U.S. armed forces from Lebanon within seven days of passage.A decisive majority of Democrats opposed the measure, with 117 voting against it and 91 voting in favor of it. One Republican voted for the resolution, with two Democrats voting present.What they're saying: House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his top deputies came out against the resolution ahead of the vote, saying in a statement "there are no U.S. service-members involved in combat operations or hostilities in Lebanon.""We stand with the Lebanese people, the government of Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces in their efforts to live peacefully and defeat Hezbollah," they said.The leaders said they would support an alternative resolution that would preserve U.S. coordination with the Lebanese Armed Forces in their fight against Hezbollah.

The majority of House Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to defeat a Lebanon war powers resolution forced to the House floor by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).Why it matters: It's a blow to the anti-war left just one day after the House passed a similar measure constraining Trump's ability to wage war in Iran.Wednesday's Iran…

The majority of House Democrats voted with Republicans on Thursday to defeat a Lebanon war powers resolution forced to the House floor by Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.).Why it matters: It's a blow to the anti-war left just one day after the House passed a similar measure constraining Trump's ability to wage war in Iran.Wednesday's Iran vote was the result of months of behind-the-scenes efforts by Democratic leadership to get the party's most staunchly pro-Israel lawmakers on board, along with a handful of Republicans.But Thursday's vote…