US politicians plan legislation to overhaul authorisation of 'forever wars'

Authorisations enacted after 9/11 have been used by the White House to conduct strikes and attacks for decades

A US military vehicle, part of a convoy arriving from northern Iraq, drives through north-eastern Syria. New legislation from Congress aims to end 'forever wars'. AFP

Democratic US politicians said on Friday they will begin working on legislation to overhaul authorisations for the use of military force that presidents from both parties have used to justify decades of attacks on overseas targets.

Gregory Meeks, a representative from New York, said the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, which he chairs, would begin debating the repeal of an Authorisation for the Use of Military Force that allowed for the 2002 war in Iraq.

"I intend to mark up legislation in the Foreign Affairs Committee in the coming weeks to repeal it," Mr Meeks said.

Senators have also been pushing to shift back the authority to declare war to Congress from the White House. After air strikes on Syria ordered by President Joe Biden, a bipartisan group on March 3 introduced legislation to repeal the 2002 Iraq authorisation as well as one passed in 1991.

The Democratic-led House voted to repeal the 2002 authorisation last year, but the measure was never taken up by the Senate, which was led then by Republicans.

The constitution gives the power to declare war to Congress, not the president. That authority shifted after Congress passed authorisations that did not expire – the Iraq measures as well as one that justified the fight against Al Qaeda after the September 11 attacks.

Barbara Lee, a representative from California, said that the authorisations have been used more than 40 times to justify attacks in 19 countries.

"It's time we end these forever wars," Ms Lee said.

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said any new authorisation should have an end date, apply to specific countries and require consultation with and reporting to Congress.

The White House said last week that Mr Biden believes the authorisations should be re-examined.