UPDATED: Obama: Iraq Is Going To Need Help From Us

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20. You need to thank every member of Congress who voted for the Iraq AUMF without which none of it

would have happened. First my personal comments then the link and information.

My take: Pretty much every every senator wanting to keep a presidential run in their future voted for the AUMF. This included those who I believe really opposed it (including Senators Biden, Clinton & Kerry) but made their presidential ambitions their top priority. How many actually went to the Capitol's secure facility & read the intelligence? Most never bother to do so.

The following information comes from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorization_for_Use_of_Military_Force_Against_Iraq_Resolution_of_2002

The resolution cited many factors to justify the use of military force against Iraq: [I added the numbers and whether in retrospect it was true]

1. Iraq's noncompliance with the conditions of the 1991 ceasefire agreement, including interference with U.N. weapons inspectors. [true]

2. Iraq "continuing to possess and develop a significant chemical and biological weapons capability" and "actively seeking a nuclear weapons capability" posed a "threat to the national security of the United States and international peace and security in the Persian Gulf region." [not true]

3. Iraq's "brutal repression of its civilian population." [true]

4. Iraq's "capability and willingness to use weapons of mass destruction against other nations and its own people". [capability was not true, willingness true but required capabilities]

5. Iraq's hostility towards the United States as demonstrated by
a. the 1993 assassination attempt on former President George H. W. Bush [true] and
b. firing on coalition aircraft enforcing the no-fly zones following the 1991 Gulf War. [true]

6. Members of al-Qaeda, an organization bearing responsibility for attacks on the United States, its citizens, and interests, including the attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, are known to be in Iraq. [not true]

7. Iraq's "continu[ing] to aid and harbor other international terrorist organizations," including anti-United States terrorist organizations. [true]

8. Iraq paid bounty to families of suicide bombers. [true]

9. The efforts by the Congress and the President to fight terrorists, and those who aided or harbored them. [true, but not relevant in Iraq with respect to al-Qaeda]

10. The authorization by the Constitution and the Congress for the President to fight anti-United States terrorism. [true, but not relevant in Iraq with respect to al-Qaeda]

11. The governments in Turkey, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia feared Saddam and wanted him removed from power. [true]

12. Citing the Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, the resolution reiterated that it should be the policy of the United States to remove the Saddam Hussein regime and promote a democratic replacement. [true - it was passed by Congress and signed into law by Bill Clinton]

The Congressional Votes:

United States House of Representatives

Party Yes Nays PRES No Vote

Republican 215 6 0 2
Democratic 82 126 0 1
Independent 0 1 0 0

TOTALS 297 133 0 3

82 (40%) of 209 Democratic Representatives voted for the resolution.

6 (<3%) of 223 Republican Representatives voted against the resolution: Reps. Duncan (R-TN), Hostettler (R-IN), Houghton (R-NY), Leach (R-IA), Morella (R-MD), Paul (R-TX).

The only Independent Representative voted against the resolution: Rep. Sanders (I-VT)

Reps. Ortiz (D-TX), Roukema (R-NJ), and Stump (R-AZ) did not vote on the resolution.

United States Senate

Party Yes Nays PRES No Vote

Republican 48 1 0 0
Democratic 29 21 0 0
Independent 0 1 0 0

TOTALS 77 23 0 0

58% of Democratic senators (29 of 50) voted for the resolution. Those voting against the Democratic majority include: Sens. Akaka (D-HI), Bingaman (D-NM), Boxer (D-CA), Byrd (D-WV), Conrad (D-ND), Corzine (D-NJ), Dayton (D-MN), Durbin (D-IL), Feingold (D-WI), Graham (D-FL), Inouye (D-HI), Kennedy (D-MA), Leahy (D-VT), Levin (D-MI), Mikulski (D-MD), Murray (D-WA), Reed (D-RI), Sarbanes (D-MD), Stabenow (D-MI), Wellstone (D-MN), and Wyden (D-OR).

1 (2%) of 49 Republican senators voted against the resolution: Sen. Chafee (R-RI).

The only Independent senator voted against the resolution: Sen. Jeffords (I-VT)

[added by me - Senate rules prohibit filibuster on AUMF resolutions.
Also, the Iraq AUMF was passed when Democrats, along with the ind. Jeffords had a majority in the Senate.
Republicans had a slim majority in the House of Representatives and did not have sufficient votes to pass the AUMF without Democratic votes - but the two Republican no votes were probably held in reserve if needed to reach the required 217]