AUMF: The war party's ticket to perpetual war

Likely the least known but most insidious acronym is America is AUMF which stands for Authorization to Use Military Force. The most insidious ever is Public Law 107-40 passed on September 14, 2001, three days after the 911 attacks. Designed in response to those attacks, it authorizes the use of United States Armed Forces against those responsible for the attacks on September 11, 2001 and any "associated forces".

Tragically, three consecutive presidents, Bush, Obama and Trump have used it to war senseless, murderous war in 7 countries we know of, killing hundreds of thousands and squandering over 4 trillion in treasure while America crumbles. Our cowardly Congress hides behind that AUMF, refusing to debate a new one for current wars so they can blame any military failures on the president. That's fine with those three war crazed presidents who opposed any interference from pesky congressfolk to their criminal military ventures.

One congresswoman deserves our praise. Barbara Lee (D-CA) was the sole vote against the 2001 AUMF saying with amazing foresight it “was a blank check to the president to attack anyone involved in the Sept. 11 events — anywhere, in any country, without regard to our nation’s long-term foreign policy, economic and national security interests, and without time limit. A rush to launch precipitous military counterattacks runs too great a risk that more innocent men, women, children will be killed.” Sixteen years and a couple hundred thousand dead innocents later Lee got a glimmer of justification for her tireless efforts on behalf of peace when the House approved her amendment to a DOD re-authorization which sunsets this odious war blank check 240 days after passage.

“At long last, I am pleased that my Democratic and Republican colleagues supported my effort to put an end to the overly broad blank check for war that is the 2001 AUMF. If passed into law as part of the DOD bill, it would repeal the 2001 AUMF eight months after enactment of this legislation. That would allow plenty of time for Congress to finally live up to its constitutional obligation to debate and vote on any new AUMF.”

Chances of Lee's amendment surviving the sausage makers masquerading as congressmen are slim. Call yours to demand it make the final cut. Failure to push back against perpetual war makes you a perpetual war enabler. That is not what we're here for.