To: President Donald Trump, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Block use of U.S. ground combat forces in Iraq-Syria
Just Foreign Policy
Congress should prohibit the use of U.S. ground combat forces for offensive operations in Iraq or Syria, permitting only narrow exceptions like rescue of U.S. personnel. Congress should repeal or sunset the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force, or otherwise specify that the 2001 AUMF does not apply to the current conflicts in Iraq and Syria and does not authorize the use of U.S. ground combat troops for offensive operations in Iraq or Syria.
Why is this important?
Congress is considering an authorization for the use of military force against ISIS. Progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders [1] and the Congressional Progressive Caucus [2] are concerned that the restrictions on the use of U.S. ground troops for offensive combat operations in the Administration's AUMF proposal are too vague, and could enable a future President to introduce U.S. ground troops into offensive combat in Iraq or Syria. They are also concerned that unless the 2001 AUMF is addressed, restrictions on the use of ground troops in a new AUMF will be meaningless.
Many Republican “hawks” oppose the President’s AUMF proposal because they don’t want any restrictions on the use of U.S. ground troops for combat at all. [3]
The main legal authority that the Administration has relied on for military operations in Iraq and Syria right now is the 2001 Authorization for the use of military force. There’s no restriction in the 2001 AUMF on the use of U.S. ground troops for offensive combat. If the 2001 AUMF authorizes bombing Iraq and Syria, then a future U.S. president can easily claim it authorizes sending 100,000 U.S. troops to Iraq or Syria for offensive combat.
If a future President believes that the situation has changed and the use of U.S. ground troops for combat has become justified, he or she can then ask Congress for that authority. Tell Congress not to hand a blank check to a future President to use U.S. ground troops for combat in Iraq or Syria by signing our petition.
References:
1) “Fight versus ISIS roils 2016 field,” Alexander Bolton, The Hill, 2/12/15, http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/232579-fight-versus-isis-roils-2016-field
2) “Progressive Caucus Statement on President Obama's AUMF Proposal,” Congressional Progressive Caucus, 2/13/15, http://cpc.grijalva.house.gov/press-releases/progressive-caucus-statement-on-president-obamas-aumf-proposal/
3) “Boehner: Obama AUMF not strong enough,” Keith Laing, The Hill, 2/15/15, http://thehill.com/policy/defense/232884-boehner-obama-war-request-not-strong-enough; “McCain: Obama war powers request ‘convoluted’,” Keith Laing, The Hill, 2/15/15, http://thehill.com/policy/defense/232888-mccain-obama-aumf-convoluted