Obama White House Backs Rand Paul’s Bill to End Iraq War Authorization

So, President Barack Obama and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) can agree on something after all. On Tuesday, the White House announced that it will support a bill which Paul plans to introduce later today which would repeal Congressional authorization for America to go to war in Iraq.

As the security situation in Iraq has deteriorated over the course of the past several months, with key cities like Fallujah reportedly falling to Al Qaeda-linked militants, both Paul and the White House are eager to ensure that future U.S. presidents are no longer able to send troops into the volatile Middle Eastern state.

“The war in Iraq is officially over,” Paul told Foreign Policy magazine recently while touting the benefits of his proposal. “With the practical side of the mission concluded, I feel it is appropriate to bring this conflict to an official, legal end.”

According to a report in Agence France-Presse, National Security Council spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden said in a statement that the White House backs Paul’s effort.

“The administration supports the repeal of the Iraq AUMF since it is no longer used for any US government activities,” Hayden said. “We understand that some in Congress are considering legislation related to the Iraq AUMF, and we will certainly examine these proposals as they come forward.”

h/t Raw Story

[Photo via AP]

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