Washington, Aug 3 (FN Agency) The 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq is no longer needed to protect Americans from terrorism and to maintain a strong relationship with Iraq, Deputy US Secretary of State Wendy Sherman said in a congressional testimony on Tuesday. “The fact is, the 2002 AUMF is no longer necessary to protect the American people from terrorist threats, respond to attacks on our personnel or facilities overseas, to ensure the safety and security of our people, or to maintain our strong relationships with Iraq and other regional partners,” Sherman told the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
The Foreign Relations Committee is holding the hearing concerning the Biden administration’s perspectives on the future of the 2002 AUMF for Iraq, which was initially passed by Congress to authorize military force against the then government of Saddam Hussein. On Monday, Baghdad and Washington issued a joint statement announcing that US combat forces will be leaving Iraq by December 31 – a decision which also came amid the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan. Sherman said that the ongoing initiatives and activities by the departments of State and Defense would not be affected should Congress repeals the 2002 AUMF.