McConnell Says Repeal of Iraq War Authorizations Would Benefit Iran

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has expressed opposition to a bill that would repeal the 1991 and 2002 Iraq war authorizations in a lengthy statement issued on March 28, claiming that undoing them would benefit Iran. The first authorization allowed the US to enter the Gulf War, which ended in Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein’s forces being driven out of Kuwait. The second authorization enabled the US military to enter Iraq following reports that Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

McConnell has stated that the repeals would be a triumph for Iran, which he claims has exerted significant influence over Iraq. He argues that the 2002 authorization has a bearing on present-day threats faced in Iraq and Syria from Iran-backed terrorists.

“Our terrorist enemies aren’t sunsetting their war against us. And when we deploy our servicemembers in harm’s way, we need to supply them with all the support and legal authorities that we can,” he added.

McConnell believes that repealing the authorizations would make it easier for Tehran to force the US out of Iraq and Syria, something that he thinks lawmakers should not allow to happen. He also expressed that the debate around rolling back American power is abstract and theoretical, while Iran has continued its deadly attacks on the US in the region.

He called on the Biden administration to “change its strategy, rebuild deterrence, end Iran’s pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability, and protect Americans and American interests from Iranian terrorism.”

The Senator’s statement follows the Senate’s vote, a day before, to advance a bill introduced by senators Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.) that would repeal the 1991 and 2002 authorizations.