WashingtonThe Senate voted Wednesday to repeal the resolution that gave the green light to the 2003 invasion of Iraq, a bipartisan effort to return basic war power to Congress 20 years after an authorization many now believe was a mistake.
Hundreds of thousands of Iraqis and nearly 5,000 US soldiers are estimated to have died in the war after the Bush administration falsely claimed Saddam Hussein stockpiled weapons of mass destruction.
“This body has plunged into a war,” said Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who for years has pushed to repeal the powers.
The senators voted 66-30 to repeal the 2002 measure and also the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the US-led Gulf War. If approved by the House of Representatives, the repeal is not expected to affect any current military locations. But lawmakers from both parties are increasingly trying to reclaim powers from Congress over US military attacks and emplacements, and some lawmakers who voted for the Iraq war two decades ago now say it was a mistake.
“Americans want to see an end to the endless wars in the Middle East,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, adding that passing the repeal “is a necessary step to put these bitter conflicts behind us.”
Supporters, including nearly 20 Republican senators, say the repeal is necessary to prevent future abuses and to reinforce that Iraq is now a strategic partner of the United States. Opponents say the repeal may project weakness at a time when the United States is still grappling with conflict in the Middle East.
“Our terrorist enemies are not ending their war against us,” said Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, who is at home recovering from a fall a few weeks ago and did not attend the vote.
“When we deploy members of our forces to dangerous situations, we must give them all the support and legal clearances we can.”
