Ash Carter Warns Congress Against Repealing 2001 War Authorization

WASHINGTON -- Testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday morning, Defense Secretary Ash Carter offered support for a three-year time limit on a proposed Authorization for Use of Military Force to cover the war against the Islamic State. At the same time, he insisted that Congress leave in place an indefinite timeline for the war against al Qaeda, the Taliban and its affiliates, authorized in 2001 in response to the Sept. 11 attacks.

“The proposed AUMF expires in three years. I cannot tell you that our campaign to defeat ISIL will be completed in three years,” said Carter, using the Obama administration’s preferred name for the Islamic State. “But I understand the reason for the proposed sunset provision,” he continued, citing the constitutional principle that the president and Congress share responsibility for waging war. “To me, this is sensible and principled provision of the AUMF.”

Sen. Ben Cardin (D-Md.), who introduced legislation in February to sunset the 2001 authorization, asked Carter if he would apply similar logic to the 9/11 legislation and support sunsetting it in three years.

“I can’t give you a clear answer to this question and let me say why,” he said. “There’s a difference -- there’s a 14-year history of the tenacity of al Qaeda and its offshoots, and their intent to attack our country. And I think you have to take that into account about whether it would make sense to put a sunset on that confrontation. ... We have to protect ourselves.”

One of Carter's first moves as defense secretary was to suggest putting the brakes on the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan, less than two months after President Barack Obama declared the war was ended there.  -  Read More at Huffingtonpost

Ash Carter Warns Congress Against Repealing 2001 War Authorization