60 Words

The 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) serves as the legal foundation for over two decades of American counterterrorism, enabling indefinite detentions, drone strikes, and global military operations. Drafted in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks, this 60-word sentence grants the president broad authority to use "all necessary and appropriate force" against those who planned or aided the attacks. Through the inclusion of "associated forces"—a term absent from the original text—the executive branch has continuously expanded the scope of this mandate to include groups and regions far removed from the 9/11 perpetrators. Congresswoman Barbara Lee, the lone dissenter in the 2001 vote, correctly identified the resolution’s dangerous, open-ended nature. Today, the AUMF remains active, effectively bypassing traditional congressional oversight and creating a perpetual state of warfare that lacks clear boundaries or a definitive conclusion.