Iraq & Afghanistan

Ending War and Occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan

Rep. Grijalva has consistently opposed the tragic and devastating decision to invade and occupy Iraq. The costs of the war to both Americans and Iraqis in terms of lives and bodies, money and material, families and communities, have been far too great. It is past time to bring our troops home from Iraq and end the occupation.

In Afghanistan, we must begin to shift to strategies that do not simply provoke and then attack nationalist and tribal resistance. We cannot continue to support a corrupt, unreliable government that the population increasingly resents. No outside influences can create a peaceful or stable Afghanistan if they are seen as foreign occupiers and the central government has no legitimacy. We must, therefore, seek to negotiate an end to this war with all forces willing to renounce al-Qaeda and build a stable Afghanistan.

An Illegal, Unconstitutional War

The war in Iraq is illegal and unconstitutional. Article VI of the U.S. Constitution clearly states, “all Treaties made, or which shall be made, under the Authority of the United States, shall be the supreme Law of the Land.”

One such treaty is the UN Charter, which says that all use of force is illegal unless expressly authorized by the Security Council, or is to preempt an IMMINENT attack, as in the case of tanks about to roll over an international border, or missiles about to launch. The invasion of Iraq was not in response to an imminent attack, nor was it authorized by the Security Council, and is therefore both illegal and unconstitutional.

The so-called “Authorization to Use Military Force,” passed after September 11, was not a declaration of war, as required by the Constitution, and does not in any way refer to Iraq. It refers to nations, organizations, or persons we believe to have "planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons.”

Iraq had nothing to do with September 11, and its “WMD” stockpiles had been destroyed or degraded, and the overall program incapacitated. Many knowledgeable authorities laid out these facts before the war, and their case has been thoroughly vindicated and documented in numerous reports since the fall of the Hussein regime, including that of the Iraq Survey Group.

Bringing Our Troops Home - No Permanent Bases in Iraq

Rep. Grijalva believes it is far past time to bring our troops home from Iraq beyond the minimum necessary to protect our Embassy (not the entire Green Zone) and vow not to retain any military bases. He was very glad to see language reflecting this policy adopted in the Defense and State Appropriations bills as well as the Defense Authorization, which were all signed by President Obama.

He remains insistent that any agreements with the Iraqi government proposed by the Administration do not undermine our Constitution, especially the duties and prerogatives vested in Congress. He will continue to demand that we bring our troops home to their families and a grateful nation as soon as possible.

Accountability for Contractors, Private Security Firms, and Mercenaries

Our military’s increasing reliance on private firms for many missions and tasks traditionally performed by our nation’s men and women in uniform should be of concern for all those who care about financial accountability, human rights, and our nation’s security. So-called private security firms, such as the former Blackwater, now known as Xe, appear to be running roughshod over American and Iraqi law, creating more enemies for our soldiers while getting paid much more than our brave men and women in uniform. In addition to atrocities such as the Nisour Square Massacre, which killed 17 Iraqi civilians, serious and credible allegations of fraud, waste and abuse in contracting have been steadily surfacing.

Contractors should not be insulated from the law or afforded protections not available to our soldiers. This is especially true when reckless action by contractors puts soldiers in greater danger by angering the population.

Because Rep. Grijalva feels that our military’s dependence on private contractors in Iraq and elsewhere demands accountability, serious investigation and reform of this abuse-prone system, he co-sponsored the Stop Outsourcing Security Act (HR 4102 in the 110th Congress), introduced by Rep. Jan Schakowsky of Illinois, to phase out the use of private military contractors.

Afghanistan

Many of the perpetrators of the 9/11 attacks, including Osama bin Laden, have been apprehended or brought to justice. This was the initial reason for our invasion of Afghanistan. At this point, it is clear that any remaining 9/11 conspirators have fled the country. Our continued military presence in Afghanistan lacks a convincing national security rationale, and adding more troops with no sense of what we hope to accomplish risks creating a deepening quagmire.

Rep. Grijalva believes that making it clear that we have no quarrel with Afghani patriots willing to renounce al-Qaeda, and that we do not seek to dominate national life, will better protect the U.S. from attacks and isolate the al-Qaeda leaders who have long since moved to Pakistani border regions. He convened a series of panels on Afghanistan in his capacity as co-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus. The panels yielded many practical, effective and sensible reform proposals. He and Rep. Mike Honda distilled those ideas and lessons into a series of recommendations, which can be viewed here.