Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF)
249 Articles

The Day After U.S. Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Program: A Policy and Legal Assessment
An expert policy and legal assessment of the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and what comes next.

Top Experts’ Backgrounder: Military Action Against Iran and US Domestic Law
Experts who advised a president on use of force answer a full range of basic questions on the conditions under which action against Iran would be lawful, and what options Congress…

U.S. Military Action in Mexico: Almost Certainly Illegal, Definitely Counterproductive
U.S. military action in Mexico would not only be illegal, it would sabotage Trump’s stated immigration policy priorities and could lead to retaliation against Americans.

Questions for Senators (and Journalists) to Ask Secretary of State Nominee Marco Rubio
Experts suggest questions for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's confirmation hearing for Trump's pick for Secretary of State, Sen. Marco Rubio.

A Presidential Proclamation to End the Iraq War: Unilateral Executive Action to Defang a Zombie AUMF
President Biden should proclaim the conflict authorized by the 2002 resolution to be over and determine that it is no longer “necessary and appropriate” to use force for the…

Key Takeaways from September 28 House Foreign Affairs Committee Hearing on AUMF Reform
The HFAC hearing clarified the shallowness of the Biden administration’s conception of AUMF reform, divisions between the political branches and within the House, and the risks…

Why “Associated Forces” Should be Kept Out of Any New AUMF
Any new AUMF must be limited to only the clearly specified non-state armed groups Congress has voted to authorize war against. Otherwise, Congress risks hard-wiring a multi-front…

Questions for Congress to Ask the Biden Administration at the AUMF Hearing
Congress should seek to determine how the executive branch interprets and relies on the 2001 AUMF and where the administration stands on proposed reforms that have been widely…

Analyzing Previously Undisclosed Use of Force Reports: Challenges of Congressional Oversight of the War on Terror
The executive branch, through noncompliance and defiance, has delayed providing Congress with sufficient information on the war on terror.

How the Expansion of “Self-Defense” Has Undermined Constraints on the Use of Force
Legal Scholar Oona Hathaway examines how expansive U.S. interpretations of "self-defense" have shaped international law.

Finally Ending America’s Forever War, Part II: Prescription
Leading legal scholar Harold Hongju Koh presents a long-term strategy for ending the "war on terror."

Introduction to Symposium: Ending Perpetual War
Marking the 22nd anniversary of 9/11, our new Symposium reflects on the enduring legacies of the "war on terror" and prospects for finally leaving the war path.