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WASHINGTON – Win Without War Government Relations Director Eric Eikenberry made the following statement after release of a letter calling for urgent repeal of the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (2002 Iraq AUMF):

“If the 117th Congress adjourns without repealing the 2002 Iraq AUMF, it will mark a huge missed opportunity for both Democrats and Republicans who want to check presidents trying to drag the United States into wars of choice.

“We’re proud to join with 36 other organizations advocating that Congress repeal the law before the year’s end. Make no mistake: the 2002 AUMF remains a shortcut for a future administration to start a new war in the Middle East. And Congress wouldn’t get a vote, let alone a meaningful hearing, before countless people were put into harm’s way. Failing to vote this authorization out of existence, especially while making no progress to repeal the even more expansive 2001 AUMF undergirding the ‘war on terror’, is an abdication of Congress’s basic constitutional duty to people across the United States.

“Even now, Congress still has multiple routes to getting this destabilizing 2002 AUMF off the books for good: by safeguarding a Rep. Barbara Lee repeal amendment in the omnibus appropriations package, and by securing a Senate floor vote for a bipartisan standalone repeal measure before the end of the year. We urge members to push hard for both options.”

The full text of the letter is available here. As of December 14, organizations are still adding their names to the list. 

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Win Without War is a diverse network of activists and national organizations working for progressive foreign policy in the United States.