Kaine Statement on White House Announcement of End of U.S. Combat Mission in Iraq

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) and the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), released the following statement today regarding the White House’s announcement that the U.S. combat mission in Iraq will be formally ending by the end of the year:

“Formally ending our combat mission in Iraq is a reflection of the current reality. The government of Iraq is now a close partner – not an enemy – and the Iraq War is long over. While we will continue to help Iraq in our shared fight against ISIS, including training and advising Iraqi forces, our support should recognize Iraq’s sovereignty and the will of its people. That’s why I am pushing for passage of my bipartisan bill to repeal the outdated 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force against Iraq. The House has already voted for these repeals and it’s long past time for the Senate to follow suit.”

In March, Senator Kaine reintroduced a bipartisan bill to repeal the 1991 and 2002 Authorizations for Use of Military Force (AUMF) against Iraq. The House recently voted to repeal the 1991 and 2002 AUMFs. The SFRC has announced plans to mark up Senator Kaine’s bill.

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