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WATCH LIVE: 20 years after the U.S. invaded Iraq, Senate debates repeal of AUMF authorizing the war
PBS NewsHourDec 23, 2022
The Facts
In a 65 to 28 vote, the US Senate decided Monday to advance legislation to repeal two decades-old authorizations for past wars in Iraq as the US government considers its posture toward the legislative process for sending troops into combat.
The first authorized the 1991 Gulf War, and the second, passed in 2002, authorized the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. The final vote to repeal the authorizations is expected later this week.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
The president shouldn't have a blank check when it comes to going to war. There have been many lessons from the Iraq war that have still gone unheeded, and if the authorizations are not repealed, the US is destined to make the same mistakes it made in the past. The American people must have a say in decisions that have such a crucial impact on their lives, bank accounts, and the country as a whole.
Republican narrative
Though it seems that almost everyone now understands that US policy toward Iraq was a mistake, Republicans should make sure to include legislation that will lead to an investigation of the current admin.'s failures abroad, namely, the catastrophic withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021. It should also include oversight regarding billions of dollars worth of military aid going to Ukraine.
