While most people are focused on ISIS (or ISIL, Islamic State or whatever we’re calling that group of jihadist lunatics these days) and their theatrically brutal atrocities, President Obama just sent his Authorization for the Use of Military Force to Congress. The 2001 AUMF is the thing that has allowed us to skip all over the globe conducting military operations legally, and now Obama has made a new one that is tailored to the latest batch of terrorists.
The only thing is, the 2001 AUMF is still in place so Obama (or President Cruz, Bush or Clinton) can use either authorization as legal justification for doing pretty much anything with our military. I’m not saying the world is a happy, safe place and we should just stay home and contentedly drive our Priuses, but it seems establishing a one-size-fits-all legal justification(s) is not the way to do this.
As crazy and scary as ISIS is, let’s not forget the greater death toll from Assad, who doesn’t play the gory propaganda card quite like the Islamic Staters. Do we really need to give the current and future presidents carte blanche to use our military all the time, anywhere, forever? (Sure, Obama’s current AUMF has a time limit, but that’s meaningless if the 2001 AUMF is still in effect.) I wonder if Obama’s campaign speeches about endless war ring in his ears the way they are ringing in mine? As usual, you can find more links to news stories behind the cartoon here.
Barack Obama:
Ah, good evening, Barack Obama of Yesterday.
Tonight, I, Barack Obama of Today, am here to introduce to you . . . “The Long War of Foreverness.”
Now I know what you’re thinking, younger-self, you’re a passionate, constitutional scholar— you were the one we had been waiting for.
You argued eloquently against the legal framework that brought us Bush-Cheney wars-without-end.
I too want to put an end to that framework. But not now— now is a time of new authorization, new terrorists, in new countries, and a renewed Long War of Foreverness.
Though there may not be an end, we will end the beginning and achieve a middle that is legal, long . . . and possibly forever—
Because I have sent to Congress a new Authorization for the Use of Military Force, ah, after bombing for six months . . .
And if Congress does not approve it, that’s okay. I’ve still got the George W. Bush authorization as backup— I’m legal either way!
So to Obama of yesterday, I say this: terrorist groups and presidents may change, but the Long War of Foreverness brings us the hope of a new beginning, by having no end.
Future, hope, truth and change. Rinse and repeat.
Good night, Obama of Yesterday . . . and get with the program!