Mitch McConnell Sponsors Bill that Would Open Up Use of US Military Force to Obama Anywhere at His Discretion, both Foreign & Domestic

February 7, 2016 in News by RBN Staff

It’s about to get real friends! In a stunning move at the end of January, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell pushed through a bill that claims to “authorize the use of United States Armed Forces [AUMF] against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and its associated forces.” The problem is that the bill is not only unconstitutional (not a declaration of war), but is also open-ended, not restricting where those forces can be used. As usual, they are covering what they are doing by advancing the idea that it is an effort to defeat Islamic terrorists.

According to the bill, the Congress “Authorizes the President to use all necessary and appropriate force to defend U.S. national security against the threat posed by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), its associated forces, organizations, and persons, and any successor organizations.”

Additionally, it adds, “(1) Congress declares that this joint resolution is intended to constitute specific statutory authorization within the meaning of section 5(b) of the War Powers Resolution, and (2) nothing in this joint resolution supersedes any requirement of the War Powers Resolution.”

It also says that the Executive is to report to Congress at least every 60 days on matters relevant to this joint resolution.

Sarah Mimms reported on January 21 at Defense One:

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell offered members a snow-weekend surprise late Wednesday night: Quietly teeing up a debate on the legal underpinning for the fight against ISIS.

After months of worrying that such a resolution—known as an authorization for the use of military force—would tie the next president’s hands, McConnell’s move to fast-track the measure surprised even his top deputy, Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, who was unaware that McConnell had set up the authorization.

“He did?” Cornyn asked National Journal on Thursday morning.

The AUMF put forward by McConnell would not restrict the president’s use of ground troops, nor have any limits related to time or geography. Nor would it touch on the issue of what to do with the 2001AUMF, which the Obama administration has used to attack ISIS despite that authorization’s instructions to use force against those who planned the 9/11 terrorist attacks. By contrast, the legal authority put forward by the administration last February wouldn’t authorize “enduring offensive ground combat operations” and would have ended three years after enactment, unless reauthorized.

The bill has 5 usual suspect RINO co-sponsors:

  • Daniel Coats (R-IN)
  • Joni Ernst (R-IA)
  • Lindsey Graham (R-SC)
  • Orrin Hatch (R-UT)
  • Marco Rubio (R-FL)

The problem is that it’s open ended and that the reality of what Senator Lindsey Graham, who I’m ashamed to say is a senator from my state, is that even America is now the potential battleground, with citizens who can be targeted under the War Powers Resolution without due process of law.

Read the rest of the story here