US in for 20 more years of ‘war on terror’ – official (Pentagon, Constitution)

Voice of Russia ^ | 17 May 2013 | Voice of Russia

[haffast]

The US is no closer to the end of its “war on terror” than before, even after having beheaded al-Qaeda in the 2011 operation that wiped out the terror group’s leader Osama Bin Laden. Now a senior Pentagon official has predicted another 20 years of the mission against al-Qaeda.

Speaking to the Senate Armed Services early Thursday, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations Michael Sheehan said the Pentagon wasn’t yet planning to wrap up its “war on terror.” When asked how long it might take the US to beat down terrorists, the official said: “At least 10 to 20 years.”

The Senate committee on Thursday lashed out against Michael Sheehan over these prospects and the fact that the Bush-era anti-terror bill called the Authorization to Use Military Force (AUMF) gave its commander-in-chief overboard powers that justified a widening war against insurgents, reaching out as far as to Yemen and Somalia.

In 2012, the National Defense Authorization Act updated this law to grant the President power not just to target overseas terrorists, but suspects believed to be “associated forces.”

Sen. Angus King stressed Thursday the AUMF was kept in place largely because it justified a war that would otherwise be illegal.

“You guys have invented this term, associated forces, that’s nowhere in this document…It’s the justification for everything, and it renders the war powers of Congress null and void,” Mr. King said. “[The AUMF] does suit you well because you’re reading it to fit everything, and it doesn’t, the general rule of war applies.” he added.

snip

[haffast]

Congress rethinks 9/11 law on military force
AP News | May 16, 2013

"The testimony prompted incredulity from Sen. Angus King, I-Maine."

""I've only been here five months, but this is the most astounding and most astoundingly disturbing hearing that I've been to since I've been here," King told the witnesses. "You guys have essentially rewritten the Constitution here today. The Constitution Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 clearly says that the Congress has the power to declare war.""

"King complained that the administration was reading the authority of the law to "cover everything and anything.""
http://townhall.com/news/politics-elections/2013/05/16/congress-rethinks-911-law-on-military-force-n1598825

US Sens: Pentagon Attempting to 'Rewrite the Constitution'
May. 16, 2013 - 01:41PM | By JOHN T. BENNETT
http://www.defensenews.com/article/20130516/DEFREG02/305160016/US-Sens-Pentagon-Attempting-Rewrite-Constitution-

King, that newbie! "Befuddled" McCain will teach him.

[Resolute Conservative]

Unless we fight them with impunity, derision and extreme prejudice and then close these borders down we will fight them forever or until they win.

Evil never rests, only regroups.

[max americana]

terror from obama?

[.45 Long Colt]

Only 20 years? Obama’s just not that old. I guess the half-life of a dicator isn’t what it used to be.

[Capt. Tom]

The US is no closer to the end of its “war on terror” than before, even after having beheaded al-Qaeda in the 2011 operation that wiped out the terror group’s leader Osama Bin Laden. Now a senior Pentagon official has predicted another 20 years of the mission against al-Qaeda

Al Qaeda is a euphemism for fundmental Muslims who follow the Koran and Hadiths as written and therefore want to kill us Infidels and introduce Sharia.
The deception is to make it sound like if we neutralize Al Qaeda the Muslim problem goes away.
Importing Islam into our society is like importing cancer into your body. I don't care how healthy or athletic you are, in the long run cancer will kill you. Islam will try to do the same to an Infidel country.
If we don't face up to that fact our country dies a slow death. . - Tom

[Roccus]

IMO, we surrendered 6/12/08

see SCOTUS decision that date

[Standing Wolf]

If I'd been president in September, 2001, there'd have been no so-called "War on Terror." I'd have launched a retaliatory strike against Islam, and that would have been the end of jihad.

[Roccus]

IMO, we surrendered 6/12/08

see SCOTUS decision that date

[Roccus]

agreed

[ProtectOurFreedom]

20 years? Sen. King obviously does not know anything about or understand islam, does he?

Sorry, Sen. Unless you wipe 1 billion people out, this pestilence is with us forever. Or at least until all middle eastern oil reserves are depleted in 400 years. Because, at that point, what of value can they offer the world for cash? Sand?

[FreedomPoster]

I completely concur.

See tagline.

[rktman]

Crusades part “??”. How many years have we (Christians) been at war with islam? Hundreds? Some people just don’t understand the whole caliphate thing. At all. Submit or die. Pretty simple. Total victory or plan on keeping this up for a lot more than 20 years. Typical Didiot talking BS.

[bert]

There is no war on terror or terrorists or enemy warriors.

The criminal acts will be decided in a court room because the war on terror de facto ended on 20 January 2009.

If the war continues it is because of an 8 year hiatus during the Obama years.

It is now an iron clad certainty that the greatest enemy of America is the Dempcrat party.

[alloysteel]

Until they are struck with sufficient amount of “shock and awe”, the Islamic Jihadists will not relent.

I say, put a couple of missiles into the Dome on the Rock in Jerusalem, and make a radioactive crater out of the site of the Kaaba in Mecca, just for starters. Then a demand that everyone who professes the Muslim faith leave Europe, including all the converts, to be relocated in either North Africa or elsewhere in countries that are already predominately Muslim. There is ground where a Muslim may only visit, but cannot be allowed to become a permanent resident, much less apply for citizenship.

Muslims do not become patriots of countries that are not predominately already Islamic, and as such, they cannot honestly become a citizen of most of the nations of Europe.

And certainly not North or South America. Nor is there much chance that much of East Asia is likely to become Muslim. India and the Russian Federation should be object lessons on how difficult it is to develop patriotism in the hearts of Muslims when they are a minority within a country.

[onedoug]

Who has the most viable god? That’s who will win.

[b4its2late]

Yep.

[Sender]

That is so true. I think that the powers-that-be always refer to “al Qaeda” because that is an approved term and a defined enemy. They are not allowed to say Muslims, and to name any of the hundreds of other terrorist groups would make most people say, “Huh?”. Every time a terrorist attack occurs, reports soon say “ties to al Qaeda”, but in fact it may have just been a crazy local group of Muslims who hate us. One of many.

[henkster]

I agree. We should have gone into Afghanistan as we did, and instead of rounding up the terrorists and sending them to Gitmo, we should have killed them and left their bodies to the vultures.

Whenever there is a terrorist attack, round up the usual suspects and kill them. Make it ugly and make it public. If they will never love us, then let them fear us.

[Resolute Conservative]

Sadly our leaders are either naive or outright duplicitous in this fact. Our citizenry for the most part is dulled into complacency and does care as long as the tv and cell phone work and football is on Sunday.

We haven’t the mental capacity to fight a real war anymore until it is forced onto us by domestic infiltration or invasion. Then, it maybe too late to rally the dimwits and pansies.

[Pining_4_TX]

There can’t be a war on terror. Terror is a tactic and has existed for centuries. Calling this a war on terror is an excuse for politicians to use our military in any and all conflicts all over the world, on a whim, if they choose. This will ruin our military.

There was a reason the founding fathers wanted Congress to debate this and make an actual declaration of war against an enemy, rather than allow the president to do whatever he wanted.