Tag: War On Terror

The Yemen raid, the first known covert military operation approved by President Donald Trump, is justified under the ever-evolving interpretation of the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF).

Fifteen years after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, America's War on Terror has expanded drastically, and with it, the interpretation of the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF), which gave the president the initial power to mobilize US Armed Forces against those responsible. Yet, America is no closer to ending that open-ended war than when it began, and its endless state is prompting serious questions about the legality of the recent initiatives waged against ISIS, and whether safeguards are in place to prevent a single person—President Obama or his successors—from committing America to perpetual warfare.

What occurred while the detainees were in military custody when President George W. Bush launched the War on Terror is not fully known. But the ACLU says some of the photos yet to see the light of day depict an elderly Iraqi woman’s alleged sexual abuse, a teenager’s mock execution, and the fatal shooting of an Iraqi farmer by a US soldier. While the free-speech organization hasn’t seen the photos, the incidents they describe are detailed in military documents. According to reports, the Pentagon said 14 of the incidents have been substantiated.

Whistleblower John Kiriakou is serving a 30-month prison sentence while those he exposed remain free.