Rep. Barbara Lee vs. endless wars

[lpetrich]

AOC retweeted:
Rep. Barbara Lee on Twitter: "19 years ago today, I cast my lone vote against endless war.

What I said then still holds true today: “As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.” https://t.co/qJukElm03I" / Twitter

This was a vote for the Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) resolution of 2001. I looked it up in congress.gov and I found
H.J.Res.64 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Authorization for Use of Military Force | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
with the vote at
Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives - Vote Details
It was 420-1

The Senate version is at
S.J.Res.23 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Authorization for Use of Military Force | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
with the vote at
U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 107th Congress - 1st Session
It was 98-0

That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

Fortunately, Barbara Lee's Congressional career survived, and she didn't go the way of Jeannette Rankin. She cut short her Congressional career twice, once in voting against US entry into WWI and once in voting against US entry into WWII. She wanted to vote against the Vietnam War also, but by then, she wasn't in very good physical shape to run for office.

Barbara Lee’s Lone Vote on Sept. 14, 2001, Was as Prescient as It Was Brave and Heroic

In an op-ed she published in the San Francisco Chronicle nine days later, she explained her vote by pointing out that the resolution “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.” She added: “A rush to launch precipitous military counterattacks runs too great a risk that more innocent men, women, children will be killed.”

This AUMF resolution was then cited as justifying involvement in Afghanistan -- involvement that continues to this day. Also the Iraq War.

 

[Harry Bosch]

AOC retweeted:
Rep. Barbara Lee on Twitter: "19 years ago today, I cast my lone vote against endless war.

What I said then still holds true today: “As we act, let us not become the evil that we deplore.” https://t.co/qJukElm03I" / Twitter

This was a vote for the Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) resolution of 2001. I looked it up in congress.gov and I found
H.J.Res.64 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Authorization for Use of Military Force | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
with the vote at
Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives - Vote Details
It was 420-1

The Senate version is at
S.J.Res.23 - 107th Congress (2001-2002): Authorization for Use of Military Force | Congress.gov | Library of Congress
with the vote at
U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 107th Congress - 1st Session
It was 98-0

That the President is authorized to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons, in order to prevent any future acts of international terrorism against the United States by such nations, organizations or persons.

Fortunately, Barbara Lee's Congressional career survived, and she didn't go the way of Jeannette Rankin. She cut short her Congressional career twice, once in voting against US entry into WWI and once in voting against US entry into WWII. She wanted to vote against the Vietnam War also, but by then, she wasn't in very good physical shape to run for office.

Barbara Lee’s Lone Vote on Sept. 14, 2001, Was as Prescient as It Was Brave and Heroic

In an op-ed she published in the San Francisco Chronicle nine days later, she explained her vote by pointing out that the resolution “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.” She added: “A rush to launch precipitous military counterattacks runs too great a risk that more innocent men, women, children will be killed.”

This AUMF resolution was then cited as justifying involvement in Afghanistan -- involvement that continues to this day. Also the Iraq War.

Endless war? Not much fighting going on in Afghanistan right now. There are US troops there now. But the taliban is talking to government now. There's a good reason to hope that US troops will be out next spring.

 

[T.G.G. Moogly]

Endless war? Not much fighting going on in Afghanistan right now. There are US troops there now. But the taliban is talking to government now. There's a good reason to hope that US troops will be out next spring.

Just like Vietnam. You know, all that 'peace with honor' propaganda.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Endless war? Not much fighting going on in Afghanistan right now. There are US troops there now. But the taliban is talking to government now. There's a good reason to hope that US troops will be out next spring.

Just like Vietnam. You know, all that 'peace with honor' propaganda.

Not even close. The Vietnam war was very vicious and hard fought right until the end. Plus our allies totally lost. There isn't much fighting in Afghanistan now.

 

[lpetrich]

Rep. Barbara Lee on Twitter: "BREAKING: My bill to repeal the 2002 Iraq AUMF passed the House.

After nearly 20 years of fighting for this, we’re finally one step closer to ending forever wars." / Twitter

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "For nearly two decades, the outdated 2002 Iraq AUMF has been used to justify military action without Congressional approval.

No president should be able to sidestep Congress and act unilaterally on matters of war. It’s time to repeal this authorization and #StopEndlessWar" / Twitter

I checked the Constitution, and it says that some of the powers of Congress are "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water"

A problem is the declarations of war went out of style after World War II. Most wars since that war have been undeclared by any of their participants.  Declaration of war lists the exceptions, and none of those declarations were issued by the US.

 

[Politesse]

Rep. Barbara Lee on Twitter: "??????BREAKING: My bill to repeal the 2002 Iraq AUMF passed the House.

After nearly 20 years of fighting for this, we’re finally one step closer to ending forever wars." / Twitter

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Twitter: "For nearly two decades, the outdated 2002 Iraq AUMF has been used to justify military action without Congressional approval.

No president should be able to sidestep Congress and act unilaterally on matters of war. It’s time to repeal this authorization and #StopEndlessWar" / Twitter

I checked the Constitution, and it says that some of the powers of Congress are "To declare War, grant Letters of Marque and Reprisal, and make Rules concerning Captures on Land and Water"

A problem is the declarations of war went out of style after World War II. Most wars since that war have been undeclared by any of their participants.  Declaration of war lists the exceptions, and none of those declarations were issued by the US.

The President has always had too much power to pursue undeclared wars. All but two of the Indian Wars. The Barbary Wars. The Civil War. Mexico. Russia. Haiti. The Phillipines. Japan. Korea.

Congress gives up its authority too readily. If you see your job as merely to rubber-stamp whatever the President does after he has done it, and may not even do that, you have no actual power at all.