Sen. Rand Paul calls on Congress to formally end Iraq War

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) on Thursday introduced an amendment to the Department of Defense Authorization bill that would formally end the war in Iraq.

President Barack Obama that all U.S. troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by the year’s end. But Paul said the war could not be considered officially over until Congress asserted its constitutional authority over such matters.

"On several occasions this year, Congress has been ignored or remained silent while the President committed our forces to combat," Paul said in a statement in reference to the U.S. involvement in Libya.

"It is my intention to urge Congress to reclaim its constitutional authority over the decision to go to war, or to end a war - it is one of the body's most important powers. It is right that we wrest it back from a President who has shown he cannot be trusted to obey the Constitution or powers prescribed to Congress in it."

The President of the United States would still have the legal authority to conduct military operations within Iraq unless Congress formally declares such action is prohibited, according to the senator.

"Americans should celebrate the safe return of our soldiers, thank those who served, and mourn those we lost. We should honor them by committing to a return to a more rational and constitutional foreign policy," Paul added.

Watch video of Rand Paul introducing the legislation, uploaded to YouTube, below:

Photo credit: Gage Skidmore