A Congress (Not?) At War

The Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) allows the US military to be deployed against Al-Qaeda and any “associated forces.” Because of its broad nature, it has been used as a justification for military force across the globe, from Afghanistan and Iraq to Yemen and Niger. It was passed in 2001. Congress hasn’t renegotiated it since then.

How does Congress’s responsibility of oversight apply to the military? And how has the relationship between Congress and the military evolved since the AUMF was passed over 17 years ago?

Our guest, Dr. Charles A. Stevenson, is a former US Senate staffer with more than 20 years of experience in foreign affairs and defense policy. He is now a foreign policy professor at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Stevenson joins the podcast to discuss the importance of congressional oversight, the dynamics of the congressional-military relationship, and possibly the Space Force, with Thomas and Nick.

This podcast is in no way intended to reflect the official positions of the Department of Defense or any other military entity.

Credits:

Thomas Krasnican, host

Nick Paraiso, host

Haz Yano, engineer and producer

David Raban, engineer and publisher

Aishwarya Kumar, producer

Mary Martha Maclay, producer

Special thanks to the University of Chicago Institute of Politics.