It's Past Time to Stop Endless War
President Obama has shown leadership by sending Congress his proposal for a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on ISIL and by recommending a repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF. Now my Republican colleagues no longer have an excuse to prevent a debate on the ongoing half-year war in which the U.S. is currently involved.
The president's proposal acknowledges the reality that the current authorizations amount to open-ended, blank checks for endless war. Because of congressional inaction, these AUMFs have provided authority for presidents to take unchecked military action.
Congress must live up to its constitutional responsibility to debate and vote on matters of war and peace. For more than a decade, Congress has abdicated this role.
President Obama's proposal to repeal of the 2002 AUMF, which I have long fought for, is a positive sign, but we must address the root of the problem. Congress must repeal the 2001 AUMF, which allows any president to wage perpetual war, in any place and at any time.
Ultimately, Congress has the responsibility of crafting any new authorization. Unfortunately, the president's proposed AUMF is overly vague, and by failing to repeal or reform the 2001 authorization, it would leave a blank check for war in place.
Congress has to go back to the drawing board.
Any debate in Congress must include a comprehensive solution to ultimately degrade and dismantle ISIL. National security experts have been clear: There is no military solution to ISIL. We simply cannot neglect the political, diplomatic and economic strategies that are central to ending violent extremism.
In 2001, I was the only member of Congress to vote against the original AUMF. Days after the vote, I wrote an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle explaining, "Some believe this resolution was only symbolic, designed to show national resolve. But I could not ignore that it provided explicit authority, under the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, to go to war."
In the ensuing decade, we have seen this authorization used over 30 times, including to legitimize warrantless surveillance, drone strikes around the globe, and unlawful detention in Guantanamo Bay.
It is abundantly clear that this resolution was not symbolic. It catapulted us into a global and endless war. Well over a decade later, we are still grappling with the consequences of our haste.
Let's not make the same mistake again. Congress needs to do its job by repealing the open-ended authorizations and seriously considering the costs and consequences of another open-ended war in the Middle East.
It's time to stop endless war.
We are at a crossroads
This country and this world are at a monumental crossroads. US voters have an opportunity to beat back the forces of fascism and confront the billionaires who are rigging the economy, our media system, and our democracy, making it increasingly impossible for ordinary people to get by. We’re not just talking about the election. We’re talking about what must be done once these fascist elements are vanquished from power. We need a bolder set of solutions than what either major party has so far been willing to offer and a working-class movement ready to fight like hell for it. Trump didn't emerge from nowhere. The conditions that fueled MAGA authoritarianism were created by decades of radical neoliberal economic policies and a corrupt political system dominated by corporate interests. They slashed taxes on the super-rich, promising that the benefits would trickle down. They said giveaways to the corporate titans would make life more affordable for the rest of us. It was all bullshit. And when a bitter, betrayed populace searches for someone to blame, right-wing demagogues have little trouble finding scapegoats. People know when they're being lied to, but you won't hear any of this from the corporate media. Only independent journalism—powered and funded by people who believe in building a better world—can deliver truly trustworthy daily news. Our Fall Campaign is underway, and we need your help. To power our newsroom through the rest of the year, we need to raise $125,000 by midnight on October 31. So if you share our vision, please contribute whatever you can to sustain our work. |
President Obama has shown leadership by sending Congress his proposal for a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on ISIL and by recommending a repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF. Now my Republican colleagues no longer have an excuse to prevent a debate on the ongoing half-year war in which the U.S. is currently involved.
The president's proposal acknowledges the reality that the current authorizations amount to open-ended, blank checks for endless war. Because of congressional inaction, these AUMFs have provided authority for presidents to take unchecked military action.
Congress must live up to its constitutional responsibility to debate and vote on matters of war and peace. For more than a decade, Congress has abdicated this role.
President Obama's proposal to repeal of the 2002 AUMF, which I have long fought for, is a positive sign, but we must address the root of the problem. Congress must repeal the 2001 AUMF, which allows any president to wage perpetual war, in any place and at any time.
Ultimately, Congress has the responsibility of crafting any new authorization. Unfortunately, the president's proposed AUMF is overly vague, and by failing to repeal or reform the 2001 authorization, it would leave a blank check for war in place.
Congress has to go back to the drawing board.
Any debate in Congress must include a comprehensive solution to ultimately degrade and dismantle ISIL. National security experts have been clear: There is no military solution to ISIL. We simply cannot neglect the political, diplomatic and economic strategies that are central to ending violent extremism.
In 2001, I was the only member of Congress to vote against the original AUMF. Days after the vote, I wrote an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle explaining, "Some believe this resolution was only symbolic, designed to show national resolve. But I could not ignore that it provided explicit authority, under the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, to go to war."
In the ensuing decade, we have seen this authorization used over 30 times, including to legitimize warrantless surveillance, drone strikes around the globe, and unlawful detention in Guantanamo Bay.
It is abundantly clear that this resolution was not symbolic. It catapulted us into a global and endless war. Well over a decade later, we are still grappling with the consequences of our haste.
Let's not make the same mistake again. Congress needs to do its job by repealing the open-ended authorizations and seriously considering the costs and consequences of another open-ended war in the Middle East.
It's time to stop endless war.
President Obama has shown leadership by sending Congress his proposal for a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) on ISIL and by recommending a repeal of the 2002 Iraq AUMF. Now my Republican colleagues no longer have an excuse to prevent a debate on the ongoing half-year war in which the U.S. is currently involved.
The president's proposal acknowledges the reality that the current authorizations amount to open-ended, blank checks for endless war. Because of congressional inaction, these AUMFs have provided authority for presidents to take unchecked military action.
Congress must live up to its constitutional responsibility to debate and vote on matters of war and peace. For more than a decade, Congress has abdicated this role.
President Obama's proposal to repeal of the 2002 AUMF, which I have long fought for, is a positive sign, but we must address the root of the problem. Congress must repeal the 2001 AUMF, which allows any president to wage perpetual war, in any place and at any time.
Ultimately, Congress has the responsibility of crafting any new authorization. Unfortunately, the president's proposed AUMF is overly vague, and by failing to repeal or reform the 2001 authorization, it would leave a blank check for war in place.
Congress has to go back to the drawing board.
Any debate in Congress must include a comprehensive solution to ultimately degrade and dismantle ISIL. National security experts have been clear: There is no military solution to ISIL. We simply cannot neglect the political, diplomatic and economic strategies that are central to ending violent extremism.
In 2001, I was the only member of Congress to vote against the original AUMF. Days after the vote, I wrote an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle explaining, "Some believe this resolution was only symbolic, designed to show national resolve. But I could not ignore that it provided explicit authority, under the War Powers Resolution and the Constitution, to go to war."
In the ensuing decade, we have seen this authorization used over 30 times, including to legitimize warrantless surveillance, drone strikes around the globe, and unlawful detention in Guantanamo Bay.
It is abundantly clear that this resolution was not symbolic. It catapulted us into a global and endless war. Well over a decade later, we are still grappling with the consequences of our haste.
Let's not make the same mistake again. Congress needs to do its job by repealing the open-ended authorizations and seriously considering the costs and consequences of another open-ended war in the Middle East.
It's time to stop endless war.