US: Trump administration urges broader war powers

By Kasim Ileri and Muhammed Bilal Kenasari

WASHINGTON (AA) - The Trump administration on Monday argued that any replacement for the U.S.’ 9/11-era use of force resolution must be more extensive and more flexible.

Defense Secretary James Mattis and Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said any new regulation to replace the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) legislation, issued following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., "should not have any geographic or time restrictions".

"The 2001 and 2002 authorizations to use military force, or AUMF, remain a sound basis for ongoing U.S. military operations against a mutating threat," Mattis told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, adding that the current authorizations should not be annulled until a new one is fully in place.

"War is fundamentally unpredictable," said Mattis.

“We cannot put a firm timeline on conflict against an adaptive enemy who would hope that we haven't the will to fight as long as necessary."

He also said any new AUMF must not have "geographical restrictions".

Tillerson argued that time and geographical restrictions make the U.S. "vulnerable" in the face of “transnational threats” such as Daesh.

He said new measures must be provided against an enemy that "changes its name, it moves across borders."