NEW YORK — President Trump announced tonight that he had launched missile strikes against Syria.

Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union’s National Security Project, had this reaction:

“This military action is illegal. In the face of constitutional law barring hostile use of force without congressional authorization, and international law forbidding unilateral use of force except in self-defense, President Trump has unilaterally launched strikes against a country that has not attacked us — and without any authorization from Congress. Doing so violates some of the most important legal constraints on the use of force.”

More on the need for congressional permission is here: https://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security/us-strikes-syria-are-illegal...