US Hands Off Iraq!

In 2001, immediately following 9-11 Barbara Lee stood alone in opposing an open-ended war authorisation that remains in force today.

Below she responds to President Obama's recent speech on Iraq amid a new clamour from many quarters for US military intervention in Iraq today.

Congresswoman Lee Responds to President Obama's Remarks on Iraq

For Immediate Release:
Friday, June 13, 2014
Contact: Katherine Jolly, (510)-763-0370
Washington, DC - Today, Following President Obama's remarks concerning the crisis in Iraq, Congresswoman Barbara Lee (D-CA) issued the following statement:
"After more than a decade of war, thousands of America lives and billions of dollars, the American people are looking to Congress to promote security and diplomacy," said Congresswoman Lee. "The ongoing crisis in Iraq is the tragic product of President George W. Bush's unnecessary and unjust 2003 invasion. The response must not be more military action, but a political process led by the Iraqis and representative of all Iraqis.
"Earlier this week, during the Appropriations Committee committee consideration of the Fiscal year 2015 Department of Defense funding bill, Congresswoman Lee offered an amendment, based on her bipartisan legislation (HR 3852),  to repeal the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) in Iraq.

"As  the House considers next week's defense bill, I will again work to repeal the 2002 Iraq war authorization, as well as the 2001 AUMF which has led to a perpetual state of endless war. I welcome the support of my colleagues who believe Congress should debate any and all use of military force.

"In May, President Obama used his speech at West Point to remind the American people that not all problems have military solutions. The political crisis in Iraq is one such problem.

"As the President has so eloquently stated, our military cannot solve all crises. The future of Iraq is in the hands of the Iraqi people," added Congresswoman Lee. "The U.S. must continue to pursue international and regional engagement, recognition of human rights and political reforms in order to promote the long term national stability and the  reconciliation necessary to address this complex problem."

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Follow Barbara Lee on Facebook and Twitter at @RepBarbaraLee. To learn more, visit lee.house.gov.

Congresswoman Lee is a member of the Appropriations and Budget Committees, the Steering and Policy Committee, is a Senior Democratic Whip, as well as the Whip of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), where she serves as the Co-Chair of the CPC Peace and Security Task Force.