Senate Majority Leader ‘Can’t Imagine’ Authorizing ISIS War

Insists Obama Would Want Limited AUMF

by Jason Ditz,

Speaking today on ABC’s This Week, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R – KY) dismissed the efforts of House Speaker Paul Ryan (R – WI) to explore a possible Authorization of the Use of Military Force (AUMF) for the ongoing ISIS war, saying he didn’t see it as feasible.

McConnell went on to say he “couldn’t imagine” passing any AUMF in the Senate that President Obama would sign, saying any such authorization would “tie the hands of the next president” on the war, saying the next president will have to clean up the mess.

The War Powers Resolution of 1973 forbids the US from entering any armed conflict longer than 60 days without an explicit vote authorizing it from Congress. The ISIS war has been ongoing for over a year and a half with no such vote ever taking place.

President Obama has taken a surprisingly inconsistent position on AUMF votes, at times “demanding” Congress pass one to prove they support his war, and at other times going out of his way to block such resolutions from reaching a vote.

Despite being conducted illegally for the last year and a half, there is no sign of the war ending, and the AUMF is seen by the administration as at best a rubber stamp for their war, but one which is only useful if extremely vague on the details.

http://news.antiwar.com/2016/01/10/senate-majority-leader-cant-imagine-authorizing-isis-war/