Iraq Resolution

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AUMF may refer to several authorizations to use military force granted by the United States Congress. In 2001 Congress issued another authorization, Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Terrorists as a direct result of September 11, 2001.

The Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq Resolution of 2002 (Public law 107-243, 116 Stat. 1497-1502) was a law passed by the United States Congress authorizing what was soon to become the Iraq War. The authorization was sought by President George W. Bush. Introduced as H.J.Res. 114, it passed the House on October 10 by a vote of 296-133, and by the Senate on October 11 by a vote of 77-23. It was signed into law by President Bush on October 16, 2002.

The Resolution cited several factors to justify action:

Iraq's noncompliance with the conditions of the 1991 cease fire
Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction, and programs to develop such weapons, posed a "threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region"
Iraq's "brutal repression of its civilian population"
Iraq's "capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction against other nations and its own people"
Iraq's hostility towards the United States as demonstrated by the 1993 assassination attempt of former President George H. W. Bush, and firing on coalition aircraft enforcing the no-fly zones following the 1991 Gulf War
Members of al-Qaida were "known to be in Iraq"
Iraq's "continu[ing] to aid and harbor other international terrorist organizations"
Fear that Iraq would provide weapons of mass destruction to terrorists for use against the United States

The Resolution praised President Bush's diplomatic efforts at the UN Security Council to "obtain prompt and decisive action by the Security Council to ensure that Iraq abandons its strategy of delay, evasion and noncompliance and promptly and strictly complies with all relevant Security Council resolutions." It authorized the United States to use military force to "defend the national security of the United States against the continuing threat posed by Iraq; and enforce all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions regarding Iraq." Before being permitted to use force, the President determined that further diplomatic efforts alone would not satisfactorily protect the United States or ensure Iraq's compliance with UNSC resolutions.

External links

[Text of Joint Resolution] (gpo.gov)
[Bill status and summary] (thomas.loc.gov)
[Roll call of votes by members of the House of Representatives] (clerk.house.gov)
[Roll call of votes by members of the Senate] (www.senate.gov)
[Statement by President George W. Bush on his signing the resolution into law] (www.whitehouse.gov)
Floor speeches

* [Floor Speech of Sen Hillary Clinton] (clinton.senate.gov)

* [Floor Speech of Sen Jay Rockefeller] (rockefeller.senate.gov)

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