US Can Continue Missions In Iraq, Syria Even If Congress Repeals 2002 AUMF - State Dept.

The US government could continue conducting military operations in Iraq and Syria even if Congress decides to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), State Department legal adviser Richard Visek said on Tuesday

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 03rd August, 2021) The US government could continue conducting military operations in Iraq and Syria even if Congress decides to repeal the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), State Department legal adviser Richard Visek said on Tuesday.

"In sum, at the present time, we believe we have sufficient authority to continue the vital counter-ISIS mission in Iraq and Syria and to address any threats to US personnel or the United States that might arise in Iraq, without relying on the 2002 AUMF," Visek said during a hearing of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The 2002 AUMF initially authorized the use of military force against the government of then Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

US Defense Department General Counsel Caroline Krass also confirmed that there are no ongoing military operations that rely solely on the 2002 AUMF.

Last week, the Biden administration announced its intention to withdraw all US forces from Iraq by the end of 2021. The administration said the mission is set to switch focus toward helping and training Iraqi forces to combat the Islamic State terror group (banned in Russia).