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You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/19/obama-iraq-war-approval-air-strikes
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Obama can't declare a new Iraq war without approval. Even Bush knew that | Obama can't declare a new Iraq war without approval. Even Bush knew that |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Open contributions: Ask our reporters. | |
| In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech | In his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech |
| four-and-half years ago, when the United States was still fighting George W | four-and-half years ago, when the United States was still fighting George W |
| Bush's battles against al-Qaida, Barack Obama spoke not so much about | Bush's battles against al-Qaida, Barack Obama spoke not so much about |
| peace as the necessity of sometimes going to war. "Evil does exist in the | peace as the necessity of sometimes going to war. "Evil does exist in the |
| world," Obama remarked. "A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's | world," Obama remarked. "A nonviolent movement could not have halted Hitler's |
| armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms." | armies. Negotiations cannot convince al-Qaida's leaders to lay down their arms." |
| Seemingly out of nowhere, that pragmatic vision | Seemingly out of nowhere, that pragmatic vision |
| of the world has now turned back to Iraq. A well-organized and blood-thirsty | of the world has now turned back to Iraq. A well-organized and blood-thirsty |
| group of insurgents, Islamic | group of insurgents, Islamic |
| State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), is on the march. They may soon be headed | State in Iraq and the Levant (Isis), is on the march. They may soon be headed |
| for Baghdad. The Iraq government has now officially requested | for Baghdad. The Iraq government has now officially requested |
| the United States to engage in airstrikes to stave off the militants' advance, | the United States to engage in airstrikes to stave off the militants' advance, |
| and the US military is considering whether it has sufficient | and the US military is considering whether it has sufficient |
| intelligence to carry out effective drone | intelligence to carry out effective drone |
| and other air operations. | and other air operations. |
| In the meantime, the Pentagon appears to be | In the meantime, the Pentagon appears to be |
| quickly gathering the information it needs "to | quickly gathering the information it needs "to |
| gain clarity" for what the White House has termed "the days to come" as Secretary of State John Kerry says "nothing is off the table" – all while Senate majority leader Harry Reid insists "there | gain clarity" for what the White House has termed "the days to come" as Secretary of State John Kerry says "nothing is off the table" – all while Senate majority leader Harry Reid insists "there |
| has been sufficient authorization" for an air campaign. After a meeting with Congressional leadership on Wednesday afternoon, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said the president "didn't feel he had any need for authority from us". | has been sufficient authorization" for an air campaign. After a meeting with Congressional leadership on Wednesday afternoon, Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell said the president "didn't feel he had any need for authority from us". |
| But if President Obama wants to start a | But if President Obama wants to start a |
| brand-new war, he will need prior approval from Congress to fight a brand-new | brand-new war, he will need prior approval from Congress to fight a brand-new |
| enemy – and he'll need to mull his decision out in the open. Because Congress | enemy – and he'll need to mull his decision out in the open. Because Congress |
| hasn't given a green light for Iraq 3.0. And justifying a new war on the basis | hasn't given a green light for Iraq 3.0. And justifying a new war on the basis |
| of a false link to al-Qaida would amount to just that – a redux of the Bush | of a false link to al-Qaida would amount to just that – a redux of the Bush |
| administration's disastrous Global War on Terror. It would also overlook the | administration's disastrous Global War on Terror. It would also overlook the |
| hugely different array of forces, including local | hugely different array of forces, including local |
| tribes in Iraq helping Isis, which could make this new war even worse than | tribes in Iraq helping Isis, which could make this new war even worse than |
| it already is. | it already is. |
| New war, you ask? Hasn't the United States | New war, you ask? Hasn't the United States |
| already decided to use the military option to counter al-Qaida, and isn't the | already decided to use the military option to counter al-Qaida, and isn't the |
| threat posed by Isis just a new version of the battle that Congress already | threat posed by Isis just a new version of the battle that Congress already |
| authorized Bush and Obama to fight? The answer – contrary to what many have | authorized Bush and Obama to fight? The answer – contrary to what many have |
| suggested – is very clearly no. | suggested – is very clearly no. |
| Sending drones to fight Isis isn't simply | Sending drones to fight Isis isn't simply |
| some new front on a disappearing border. Congress has only authorized, in the | some new front on a disappearing border. Congress has only authorized, in the |
| wake of 9/11 and before Reaper drones were even introduced, the use of force against al-Qaida – and potentially | wake of 9/11 and before Reaper drones were even introduced, the use of force against al-Qaida – and potentially |
| groups working in direct | groups working in direct |
| association with it. But Isis is very clearly not one of them. | association with it. But Isis is very clearly not one of them. |
| If you read some news reports, you'd be | If you read some news reports, you'd be |
| forgiven for thinking that Isis and al-Qaida are essentially one in the same. The | forgiven for thinking that Isis and al-Qaida are essentially one in the same. The |
| Wall Street Journal informed its readers when the "Al | Wall Street Journal informed its readers when the "Al |
| Qaeda-Linked Militants" seized control of Iraq's second largest city. The | Qaeda-Linked Militants" seized control of Iraq's second largest city. The |
| Washington Post wrote about how "Al-Qaeda | Washington Post wrote about how "Al-Qaeda |
| renegades" seized another major town this past weekend. CNN told its | renegades" seized another major town this past weekend. CNN told its |
| audience that members of the Senate panel that held hearings on Wednesday were | audience that members of the Senate panel that held hearings on Wednesday were |
| concerned that "al | concerned that "al |
| Qaeda-affiliated Islamists" will establish a beachhead in Iraq. | Qaeda-affiliated Islamists" will establish a beachhead in Iraq. |
| Those misleading connections, it seems, came | Those misleading connections, it seems, came |
| largely from the Obama administration itself: the US State Department | largely from the Obama administration itself: the US State Department |
| called Isis "a branch of al-Qa'ida" and "a common enemy of the United States | called Isis "a branch of al-Qa'ida" and "a common enemy of the United States |
| and the Republic of Iraq" late last year, and outlets like the New York Times repeated | and the Republic of Iraq" late last year, and outlets like the New York Times repeated |
| that frame of analysis without questioning it. The administration had an | that frame of analysis without questioning it. The administration had an |
| opportunity to set the record straight in early 2014 when a senior administration | opportunity to set the record straight in early 2014 when a senior administration |
| official testified in public hearings before Congress. The title of his | official testified in public hearings before Congress. The title of his |
| prepared testimony: "Al-Qaeda's | prepared testimony: "Al-Qaeda's |
| Resurgence in Iraq: A Threat to US Interests" – and then he spoke about Isis "flying the black flag of al-Qaida". | Resurgence in Iraq: A Threat to US Interests" – and then he spoke about Isis "flying the black flag of al-Qaida". |
| But if you ask legal scholars and | But if you ask legal scholars and |
| independent terrorism experts, you find a completely different reality – | independent terrorism experts, you find a completely different reality – |
| one that should give Obama pause before acting on any air strikes, even if the | one that should give Obama pause before acting on any air strikes, even if the |
| time to send in the drones is running short. Because there is minimizing | time to send in the drones is running short. Because there is minimizing |
| civilian casualties before Isis reaches Baghdad, and then there is rushing into | civilian casualties before Isis reaches Baghdad, and then there is rushing into |
| war with a public so badly misinformed by parts of the media and its own | war with a public so badly misinformed by parts of the media and its own |
| government. | government. |
| On various legal blogs, academics such as Deborah Pearlstein | On various legal blogs, academics such as Deborah Pearlstein |
| and Jennifer | and Jennifer |
| Daskal have been at pains to show how Isis is not associated with al-Qaida | Daskal have been at pains to show how Isis is not associated with al-Qaida |
| – far from it. Fissures grew between the two groups last year when Isis "repeatedly | – far from it. Fissures grew between the two groups last year when Isis "repeatedly |
| refused" instructions and advice from the head of al-Qaida, Ayman al-Zawahiri, | refused" instructions and advice from the head of al-Qaida, Ayman al-Zawahiri, |
| and outright opposed his goals and directives. This year, Zawahiri officially gave up and announced | and outright opposed his goals and directives. This year, Zawahiri officially gave up and announced |
| that al-Qaida would have nothing to do with Isis. Al-Qaida's senior leadership | that al-Qaida would have nothing to do with Isis. Al-Qaida's senior leadership |
| stated that it has "no connection" with Isis, and that Isis is | stated that it has "no connection" with Isis, and that Isis is |
| "not an affiliate with the al-Qaida group and has no organizational | "not an affiliate with the al-Qaida group and has no organizational |
| relation with it." | relation with it." |
| So what about that black flag? As Professor | So what about that black flag? As Professor |
| Pearlstein notes: | Pearlstein notes: |
| [T]errorist experts have | [T]errorist experts have |
| regularly pointed out the popularity of the black flag with the white lettering | regularly pointed out the popularity of the black flag with the white lettering |
| among a range of Islamist groups across the region. | among a range of Islamist groups across the region. |
| Of course, most Americans don't read legal | Of course, most Americans don't read legal |
| blogs or research reports. Most Americans believe what they see on cable news. But the | blogs or research reports. Most Americans believe what they see on cable news. But the |
| American public needs to understand from President Obama the choices ahead – | American public needs to understand from President Obama the choices ahead – |
| and the enemy we are now apparently prepared to fight. And the president shouldn't | and the enemy we are now apparently prepared to fight. And the president shouldn't |
| just consult Congress on this one. He needs to receive our backing, too. | just consult Congress on this one. He needs to receive our backing, too. |