US Senate revokes permits for war in Iraq

The US Senate has approved a bill repealing permits to fight in Iraq, which were issued in 1991 and 2002, reports Reuters.

65 people voted for the document, 28 legislators (all Republicans) opposed it. Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Democratic Senator Bob Menendez said the removal of those permits would “demonstrate to the region [Ираку] and the world, that the United States is not an occupying force, that the war in Iraq has come to an end, that the US is moving forward, working with Iraq as a strategic partner.”

Before the bill was passed, members of Congress had debated for years that lawmakers were giving presidents too much power over whether to send military personnel to war. The bill is intended to limit the military powers of the president and to approve the exclusive right of Congress to approve the outbreak of hostilities, which is spelled out in the country’s constitution.