Obama Unveils AUMF Targeting ISIS

After months of negotiations, President Obama sent a proposed Authorization for the Use of Military Force to Congress on Wednesday, which if approved would authorize a military campaign against ISIS for three years with the option to renew. The proposed legislation is the first AUMF sent to Capitol Hill since the language Congress voted on in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. The three-page draft seeks to put limits on the counter-ISIS campaign, and while Obama seeks to restrict ground combat campaigns akin to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, he seeks the authority to use ground forces in “more limited circumstances,” such as for intelligence collection or special operations raids. The draft language reflects “important input” from members of Congress, said Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel in a statement released Wednesday, and it gives military personnel participating in Operation Inherent Resolve the “support and flexibility needed in our military operations.” Hagel urged the Congress to pass the resolution to show bipartisan support for the mission.