Are you happy about the invasion of Venezuela?

Here I am again asking you to write to your Congress members and Senators. I've included two templates: one from a veteran's perspective, and another from a concerned citizen's perspective. Make Congress do their jobs!

Dear Senator/Representative Last Name,

As a veteran of the United States Armed Forces, I write to you not only out of professional concern but out of a deep sense of duty to the men and women who continue to bear the weight of America’s foreign engagements. Many of us who have served have already seen what happens when missions begin without lawful authorization, clear objectives, or a defined end state. The current operation in Venezuela is beginning to feel alarmingly familiar.

I am deeply troubled by the legal ambiguity surrounding this mission. The War Powers Resolution of 1973 was enacted precisely to prevent the Executive Branch from deploying U.S. forces into hostilities without congressional approval. If our forces are engaged in operations that meet the definition of “hostilities,” then our constitutional process demands an explicit Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF). Anything less risks setting a dangerous precedent—not just for this administration but for every one that follows.

Equally concerning is the language about “running the country in the interim.” I have seen what happens when the United States assumes de facto governance of a foreign nation without the overwhelming and sustained ground presence required to maintain security and legitimacy. Such undertakings do not end quickly, and they rarely end cleanly. The idea of “holding things together” temporarily has, throughout our history, stretched into years of instability, loss, and political paralysis—at home and abroad.

What is the exit strategy? What constitutes mission success? These are not rhetorical questions. They are moral and constitutional imperatives. When we commit service members to a mission whose goals are undefined and whose timeline is uncertain, we ask them to give everything—including their lives—for objectives that may shift with public opinion or political convenience. That is not fair, and it is not just.

I fear that, without decisive congressional oversight, we are again on the threshold of a prolonged and costly nation-building experiment—one that drains our resources, fractures our unity, and leaves a generation of veterans asking what it was all for. I urge you, as my elected representative, to demand full transparency from the Executive Branch regarding the legal basis, operational goals, and termination criteria for this mission. The American people—and the American troops carrying out these orders—deserve nothing less.

Respectfully and with conviction,

Your Full Name
Branch of Service, Years of Service
Veteran, United States Armed Forces

Dear Senator/Representative Last Name,

We write as concerned citizens—veterans, families, and taxpayers—united not by partisanship, but by a shared belief that the use of American military power must always align with our Constitution, our laws, and our values.

The recent mission in Venezuela has raised serious and troubling questions. Chief among them is whether this operation complies with the War Powers Resolution of 1973, which requires explicit congressional authorization for the introduction of U.S. forces into hostilities. If American service members are again engaged in combat or armed interventions without such authorization, it represents a profound breakdown in constitutional oversight.

Equally alarming are public statements suggesting the United States may assume responsibility for “running the country in the interim.” We have seen, time and again, how missions that begin with limited aims can expand into open-ended commitments—without an overwhelming ground force to secure stability, and without a clear plan for disengagement. Such ventures risk drawing America into another prolonged occupation or nation-building exercise with no defined measure of success.

Citizens deserve transparency. Before lives are put on the line, Congress—and the American people—must know what constitutes success, what resources are required, and how we intend to bring our involvement to a responsible close. An undeclared, undefined intervention not only jeopardizes the safety of those who serve but erodes public trust in the very institutions charged with upholding the rule of law.

We ask that you insist on full accountability from the Executive Branch, demand the legal justifications and strategic objectives in writing, and ensure that any further military engagement in Venezuela is subject to proper congressional debate and authorization. This is not a matter of ideology—it is a matter of constitutional fidelity and moral responsibility.

With respect and conviction,

Your Name(s)
City, State or Organization, if applicable

Find your members of Congress

Find Your Representative – Go to the official House lookup tool at www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative and enter your ZIP code to get your U.S. representative’s name, website, and contact form.

Contacting U.S. Senators – Go to the Senate contact page at www.senate.gov/senators/senators-contact.htm, choose your state, and you’ll see both senators with links to their official sites and email/contact forms.

Find Your Members in the U.S. Congress – You can also use www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member to look up all of your members by address in one place.