Kweisi Mfume on War & Peace Democratic Senate Challenger (MD); previously U.S. Representative

War in Iraq has made us more vulnerable to terrorism

Sadly, the war in Iraq has not made us safer from terrorism; it has made us more vulnerable. Osama Bin Laden must be laughing at us and our inability to capture him and his cohorts.

Our preoccupation with Iraq has taken our attention away from protecting the homeland as we should. George Bush and his Department of Homeland Security are not paying enough attention to protecting our ports, our rails systems or our nuclear powers plants, all of which remain frighteningly vulnerable to attack.

Attends Iraq War protests-“We can do better”

Exit strategy & time frame for withdrawal from Iraq

Only use military force in cooperation with UN

Which of the following general principles or specific proposals will you support concerning American military policy?
• The US should use military force only in cooperation with the United Nations unless threatened by a foreign power.
• Congress should impose strict sanctions against any nation selling technology or products that aid in the construction of nuclear weapons.
• Congress should impose strict sanctions against any new nation attempting to develop nuclear weapons.

Repeal 2002 Military Force Authorization against Iraq.

Resolution excerpts:
• Whereas the Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 1991 and 2002 currently remain valid law;
• Whereas, since 2014, U.S. military forces have operated in Iraq at the request of the Government of Iraq for the sole purpose of supporting its efforts to combat ISIS;
• Whereas authorizations for the use of military force that are no longer necessary should have a clear political and legal ending:
• Now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States [that]
• The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq is hereby repealed.

Politico.com in OPPOSITION, 3/25/21: Republicans who opposed repealing the 2002 authorization said that it should be replaced because Iraq is still home to terror groups that threaten the United States. Rep. Michael McCaul called for consultations with first in order to craft a replacement. "Real AUMF reform requires Congress and the administration working together on actual text to replace the aging 2001 and 2002 AUMFs to provide authorities needed to keep the American people, and, most importantly, our deployed troops, safe from terrorists," McCaul said.

Heritage Foundation in SUPPORT (1/6/20): There has been an open and vibrant debate about whether the 2001 AUMF covers ISIS, a terrorist organization that did not even exist when the 2001 statute was passed and has disavowed and formally broken away from al-Qaeda, the group that is covered by the 2001 AUMF. Yet both the Obama and Trump Administrations claim that the 2001 AUMF covers ISIS and associated forces. Congress has shied away from the much-needed debate about whether the 2002 Iraq AUMF is no longer necessary.

Legislative Outcome: Passed House 268-161-2 on H.R.256 on 6/17/2021 (rollcall 172; no vote on S.J.R.10 nor H.R.3261 in 2021)