While the Biden team's actions are consistent with previous administrations, it is not consistent with Congress' intent, stated Sen. Ben Cardin (D–Md.). The senior senator of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,Cardin said that President Joe Biden should submit a new authorization to use military force, and should acknowledge that the 2001 AUMF should end.Senator Tim Kaine (D. Virginia), who has been working closely with the White House to replace the 2001 AUMF in a way that is more aligned with current terror threats, asked the Biden administration for a prompt briefing on its counterterrorism goals as well as the current threats.Senator Tim Kaine speaks at a hearing of the U.S. Senate Budget Committee on wages at large corporations located on Capitol Hill. Stefani Reynolds/The New York Times via AP. PoolKaine said that I have not been given any information suggesting that these strikes were necessary to protect U.S. personnel.Biden supports efforts to repeal certain war authorizations such as the 2002 AUMF in Iraq and replace them with others like the 2001 measure. He has, however, cited a variety of legal justifications for military action, including obsolete war authorizations.This includes two instances of invoking Article II constitutional self defense authority when he ordered airstrikes against Iran supported militant groups in Iraq or Syria, which attacked American troops.You can strike in Somalia by going to Congress for authorization. You can be involved in hostilities against Somalia for five years if you come to Congress and explain your reasons. Congress should not set a precedent that is too difficult or too complicated.Al Drago-Pool/Getty ImagesThis criticism comes just days after the Pentagon attacked al-Shabab in Somalia. It was the second such operation in less that a week, and the second by the Biden administration in the country since their election.Both cases were authorized by Gen. Stephen Townsend (head of U.S. Africa Command, not Biden), Defense officials stated that the mission was to support a Somali-trained force called the Danab, which came under attack by al-Shabab militants from the Galmudug region of Somalia.Murphy stated that the approval of the strike was a questionable exercise. The chief executive must be present when you are taking strike action in countries without clear authorization by Congress.After a six-month break, the U.S. has resumed operations in the country despite the new limitations the Biden administration placed upon drone strikes outside of active combat zones. Although the Trump administration granted regional commanders broad authority, airstrikes proposals are generally directed through the White House. Before last week's actions, the U.S. hadn't conducted any strikes in Somalia since Jan. 19, which was the day before Biden became president.Biden invoked the 2001 AUMF as his administration confers with lawmakers about a new authorization that includes specific geographical designations, mandates a cut off date and names terrorist groups that are covered by the AUMF.This shows that we must come up with a mechanism to approve geographies. Sen. Todd Young (R.Ind. The Somalia strikes were praised by Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.), who has been a longtime advocate for reforms to war powers. We don't want to limit the president's Article II powers, which we don't have the power to do.Senator Todd Young (Republican of Indiana) speaks at a Senate Finance Committee hearing about the nomination of Xavier Becerra as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Capitol Hill, Washington, Wednesday, February 24, 2021. Michael Reynolds/Pool via APCardin stated that citing 2001 AUMF makes obtaining a new authorization through Congress more difficult. He added: It undermines our ability see an urgent need for action.The Foreign Relations Committee asked the Biden administration to provide more details about the airstrikes. The panel's chair, Senator Bob Menendez (D.N.J.), stated that his primary focus was to repeal AUMFs with no functional value.The committee will hold a hearing next Wednesday with State Department officials about AUMFs in greater detail. This will allow senators to directly question administration officials about the invocations of the 2001 AUMF and Biden's Article II powers.The committee will then vote on a bipartisan bill to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs that allowed military force in Iraq for various conflicts. The 2001 AUMF remains a target for lawmakers.Murphy said that it was yet another sign of the dire state of 2001 AUMF reform. The administration seems to be struggling a bit to get the legal authorization to allow these strikes.Cindi King, spokesperson for the Pentagon, declined to provide additional information about the attacks. She cited operational security as the reason why the Biden administration conducted two simultaneous attacks after a six month hiatus. A defense official stated that operations have resumed on both sides due to the ending of Somalia's rainy season. He also anticipated active fighting.Defense officials defended the airstrike and distinguished between deliberate strikes against a specific threat that was identified in advance by military planners and close-air support or self-defense operations based upon an imminent threat. Commandants must be able quickly to authorize strikes in emergency situations. The official stated that all strikes must go through strict approval, including assessments of civilian casualties as well as collateral damage.Republicans applauded and supported the administration's airstrikes as they have done many times since Biden was elected president. The issue of war powers is a matter where GOP lawmakers support expanded presidential authority to carry out military operations.Senator Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), vice chair of Senate Intelligence Committee, stated that he doesn't believe the president requires a law from Congress to target terrorists who pose a threat to the United States. Even if it's a targeted, one-off engagement and not a large-scale military situation.
