AUMF

There is no need to link the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq with broader war powers reform efforts.

As the House of Representatives prepares to embark on renewed efforts to repeal and replace outdated war authorizations, it will need to grapple with a fundamental question: who decides against whom the country goes to war.

Last week, the House passed its version of the annual defense policy bill known as the National Defense Authorization Act or NDAA. Unfortunately, an amendment to repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq (2002 Iraq AUMF) was not included. However, we are not discouraged. There remain multiple paths to repeal.

It has been 20 years since “mission accomplished” was declared, nearly 12 years since the formal end of the Iraq War, and four years since the expulsion of ISIS from the territory it once controlled in Iraq. We have had ample time to reflect on the painful lessons of the Iraq War. It’s time to truly bring it to an end.

As a Quaker organization, FCNL opposes all war. As a matter of public policy, we believe Congress must debate and vote before the president commits our military to lethal action and should regularly evaluate and vote on whether to continue ongoing U.S. wars.

A diverse group of organizations applauded today’s overwhelming bipartisan Senate vote to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs and formally end the Gulf and Iraq wars.

Today marks the 20th anniversary of the Iraq War. As we reflect on this anniversary, we also have an opportunity to look back to 2003 and reflect on what proponents of the war were saying, how FCNL responded, and how these predictions have borne out two decades on. 

Opinion by Rep. Barbara Lee and Bridget Moix

In a vote that marks significant progress for our ongoing work to end endless war, on March 8, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee advanced a bill to repeal both the 2002 Iraq War authorization and the 1991 Gulf War authorizations (S. 316). The 13-8 vote in favor of the bipartisan measure from Sens. Tim Kaine (VA) and Todd Young (IN) clears the way for the bill to move to the Senate floor.

Over the last two years, congressional support for repealing the 2002 Iraq Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) has grown.