President Barack Obama’s proposed authorization for the use of military force against the Islamic State militant group just gained a notable opponent: the Congressional Progressive Caucus.
In a statement Friday on behalf of the roughly 70-member caucus, progressive lawmakers came out against the AUMF proposal, complaining that it was “too broad” and lacked a strict ban on the deployment of ground troops.
“The devastating and costly wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have taught us that when we give military authority to the executive, it should not be a blank check,” Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Reps. Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN), and Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) said.
“Unfortunately, the authorization proposed by the president this week is too broad. In order to ensure meaningful limits on executive branch authority, an AUMF should at a minimum contain a clear objective and geographical limitations. It should also include an enforceable ban on the deployment of ground troops with exception for only the most limited of operations, unambiguous language, and a repeal of the 2001 AUMF,” they said.
The progressive caucus chiefs said any restrictions in the new declaration would be “irrelevant” unless Congress says the 2001 AUMF in the wake of 9/11 doesn’t apply to the Islamic State.
Meanwhile, in an illustration of Obama’s tough balancing act, House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) had the opposite complaint: that the AUMF proposal was too restrictive.
“The president has tied his own hands and wants to tie his hands even further with the authorization that he sent up here,” Boehner told reporters Thursday. “I think it’s time for the White House to develop and outline for the American people how we’re going to address this worldwide terrorist threat, and to make sure that the president has the authorization to deal with it.”
How about these cowardly little dems and all repubs do the job they were elected to do…Fix the language and vote on it…They are all AFRAID to take a vote…Kick them all out for stupidity and cowardice!
This kind of shit is why I don’t self-identify as Democrat.
Yeah, I vote for them because I’ll take weak over evil, but I’m not gonna burden myself with their flaccidity.
Which kind of shit, the progressive’s kind or the President’s?
This is very important and needs to be worked out and that should’ve happened long ago but it still needs to be done and done right.
Are you after war declarations or threats, what?
I think the President’s plan was broad intentionally, knowing that it would be gone over and adjusted and that that is as it should be. He isn’t supposed to be going this alone or even starting the damn bills. He is merely leading by example and the constant opposition has no understanding of such things.
So if the Prez goes pie in the sky, it leaves plenty of room to maneuver over, under and sideways to achieve the actual goal and to do this through the intent of our framers. You know, that constitution thingy.
Go Barack!
So, Speaker Boehner, the president you want to sue for executive overreach, who acts like a dictator and is crapping all over the Constitution, has now " tied his own hands and wants to tie his hands even further " ?