Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) is determined to bring American soldiers home. While his Syrian War Powers Resolution failed, he is pressing on, having introduced a new War Powers Resolution demanding the withdrawal of all US forces from Somalia, minus those guarding the American embassy.
During a hearing with US Africa Commander Michael Langley, Rep. Gaetz spoke of two recent coups initiated by soldiers trained by US forces, one in Guinea and another in Burkina Faso.
As such, Rep. Gatez stated, "I think we could use our resources far more effectively than doing this."
Similarly, Rep. Gaetz said in his press release, "The American people have extremely low confidence in our military leaders and their ability to assess their own efficacy."
"The American people have extremely low confidence in our military leaders and their ability to assess their own efficacy. How do they expect Americans to believe their justification for occupying Somalia when they can’t even determine who in their own training programs will lead a violent coup afterwards?"
Thus, as with the War Powers Resolution for Syria, Congress must vote on withdrawing US troops from Somalia within eighteen days after its introduction.
Unlike the Syrian resolution, which initially demanded US troops leave Syria in fifteen days and extended it to six months, Gaetz has set the Somalia deadline at 365 days, likely a means to make the resolution more palatable.
Such a sentiment reflects in the further comments of Gaetz's press release, "when the House debated my resolution to withdraw troops from Syria, both Republicans and Democrats argued the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Afghanistan serves as a global permission slip for every neocon fantasy."
"When the House debated my resolution to withdraw troops from Syria, both Republicans and Democrats argued the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force against Afghanistan serves as a global permission slip for every neocon fantasy. They will argue the same for Somalia. But as Americans become more aware of our country’s military misadventures abroad, the calls to end forever wars are growing. While the Congressional War Machine has decided to rage on in Syria, they must explain how continuing the occupation of Somalia best serves the interests of the American people at home. If they cannot, it is incumbent upon the Congress to bring our troops home from Somalia," Gaetz concluded.
