25 years ago this week in the wake of the September 11 attacks, Congress passed the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF), opening the door for what became the never-ending “Global War on Terror.”
The AUMF passed unanimously in the Senate. In the House, 420 representatives voted “yes.” Courageously, Rep. Barbara Lee stood alone in voting “no.”
Citing a member of the clergy, Rep. Lee issued a prophetic warning: “As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.”
Tragically, her warning proved prescient, as America’s post-9/11 wars inflicted a horrific cost on millions across the Middle East and the world.
This AUMF continues to be used to justify militarism – most notably in Somalia.
“Like a fire left smoldering out of sight, the US war in Somalia has burned on for years, quietly escalating into one of America’s most persistent post-9/11 conflicts,” as former FCNL staffer Devra Baxter put it this week in Inkstick.
While receiving remarkably little media attention, the Trump administration has dramatically surged U.S. military operations there, carrying out more than double the number of strikes as the Bush, Obama, and Biden administrations combined in just 20 months.
After decades of war, it’s clear more bombs will not bring peace. As a new FCNL report breaks down, Trump’s major escalation in military strikes will only sow more violence and instability.
Yet the U.S. must not simply turn its back on Somalia. We can and must blaze a better path by investing in Somali-led initiatives to address the political, economic, and humanitarian conditions that are driving conflict.
This week, as we reflected on the September 11 attacks and the decades of war that came after, we were honored to hear a special message from Rep. Lee.
“Thank you for standing shoulder to shoulder with me in the relentless work to oppose and repeal these post-9/11 war authorizations,” she said, celebrating the historic progress we’ve made over the years.
“Thank you for your faith, your persistence, and your dedication to keep peace.”
Elsewhere
House Votes Again to End Iran War
This week, the House of Representatives again passed a bipartisan War Powers Resolution directing President Trump to end the war on Iran.
In a new report, U.N. experts pointed out the strong likelihood that the U.S. committed war crimes in the early stages of the war. In addition to being morally abhorrent, this criminal war costs a huge amount of money. The Congressional Budget Office found that it costs roughly $3 billion per month and will increase U.S. inflation by 0.5%.
The U.S. government is spending money we cannot afford to commit crimes we cannot excuse. Congress must build on the momentum of the War Powers Resolutions it has passed to end this war.
Bombs to Israel
The Trump administration announced a huge arms transfer to Israel — $2.8 billion worth of weapons, including 2,000-pound bombs which have been used to kill civilians in densely populated areas in Gaza and Lebanon. Rep. Gregory Meeks (NY-5) has put a hold on this because of concerns about human rights.
More weapons to destroy neighborhoods and kill people will not bring peace in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, or anywhere.
Immigration Cruelty Costing Our Communities
We learned this week of more examples of the Trump administration’s cruelty towards immigrants. Outrageously, Somali immigrants are being targeted and imprisoned in Guantanamo, suffering in brutal conditions simply because of the president’s bigotry and personal, racist animus against them. The Department of Homeland Security’s own inspector general also found terrible conditions at a Florida detention center, with cages, unsanitary showers, and unsafe food.
The ACLU and AFL-CIO released a report breaking down how this cruelty is harming all of us, financially as well as morally, and how a pathway to citizenship could help. Our government is spending money to destroy communities and abuse our neighbors rather than lift us all up.
Call to Action for Democracy
FCNL’s José Moreno is speaking on the Quaker Call to Action National Meeting, this Sunday September 20 at 7-8:30 p.m. ET. The call will focus on ways of protecting democracy before, during, and after the November elections. Join the call and learn how you can engage!
