Using Force as a Last Resort
Our generation and those that follow us are inheriting lengthy and needless wars, as well as the devastating impacts they have wrought on our economy, diplomatic position, and social fabric. Over the course of our lifetimes, decision-making based on fear has driven US foreign policy in a dangerous direction.
The United States’ force-first (and often force-only) approach has devastated communities at home and abroad and undermined the values that we aspire to uphold. Despite the fact that the Constitution gives Congress the sole authority to declare war, the executive branch has inappropriately seized the authority to order military action, and has used these warmaking powers disproportionately over time. Today, the Global War on Terror involves 39% of the world’s countries, despite the majority of both veterans and members of the public agreeing that the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars were not worth fighting in the first place. Despite the enormous human and financial costs of these conflicts, the regional situation has deteriorated. Withdrawing the US military from these endless wars and and pursuing good-faith engagement with those areas on diplomatic, economic, and humanitarian levels is the first step toward correcting our course and embracing a model of foreign policy based on human experiences.
The United States should:
Never intervene in a conflict unless specifically authorized to do so under international law.
Repeal the existing Authorizations for the Use of Military Force and ensure that any future authorizations have firm limitations, including an expiration date, geographic constraints, a well-defined mission, and a clear definition of what constitutes a “combatant.”
Fully end military involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other covert operations associated with the Global War on Terror––including the illegal US drone war and targeted assassination campaign.
Fully fund humanitarian, reconstructive, and reparative efforts in regions affected by US military engagement.
Reinstate full casualty reporting as a way to fully understand the costs of armed conflict and to reduce civilian casualties as much as possible.
Close Guantánamo Bay and pay reparations to all tortured detainees, past and present.
Recognize that the overwhelming majority of domestic terrorism is rooted in white supremacist ideologies and formulate counter-terrorism policies on this basis.
Prioritize and fund community-building as a fundamental aspect of US counter-terrorism policy.
Fundamentally reorient the US understanding of national security to address the root drivers of violence, including climate change, economic instability, and the legacy of US intervention.
Never physically or politically target the families of terrorists.
Never strip anyone of their citizenship.
Assume responsibility for US foreign fighters and prosecute them within the US legal system.