AUMF

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.

Today, members of the House and Senate rolled out legislation to repeal the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (2002 Iraq AUMF), a key step in reasserting congressional authority over matters of war.

FCNL welcomed today’s introduction of legislation to repeal both the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations of Use of Military Force. Both give the president the authority to use force against Saddam Hussein and his regime in Iraq. Hussein has not been in power since 2003.

On December 15, the Senate voted 83 to 11 for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2023 sending the legislation to President Biden for his signature. From the perspective of reasserting its prerogatives on war and peace, this 4408-page legislation is notable for what it does not include: a repeal of the 2002 Authorization for the Use of Military Force Against Iraq (2002 AUMF).

Oct. 16 marks the 20th anniversary of another somber day in U.S. history, albeit lesser known. On that day in 2002, Congress passed the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq (2002 Iraq AUMF), green-lighting war against Saddam Hussein’s government in Iraq and opening the way for a full scale “shock and awe” invasion by the U.S.