Issue Position: Foreign Wars

Issue Position

Congressman Serrano remains strongly opposed to our current military involvement in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. He believes that the United States should be constructive, not destructive, in its attempts to promote democracy and freedom around the world, and that military force is incapable of spreading our ideals. While military force often looks like a quick solution to difficult situations, more often than not it merely results in further suffering.

These ongoing wars have now cost trillions of dollars, thousands of American lives and hundreds of thousands of Iraqi, Afghan and Libyan lives. Not only are these extraordinary direct costs in terms of money and lives, but the continually escalating investment in defense has led to underinvestment at home. In addition, as we have seen recently, once a war has begun it is very difficult to end, and the costs just continue to build.

Congressman Serrano has repeatedly voted to end our wars abroad, to stop the funding and to bring the troops home. In Afghanistan, he originally voted for the use of military force, because he believed that limited military action was an appropriate response to the attacks on September 11, 2001. However, as it became apparent that we were bogged down in a war without a clear strategy for its end, he started pushing to bring our troops and repeatedly voted against further funding for the war.

When the administration began to make the case for invading Iraq, while we were still involved in Afghanistan, Congressman Serrano urged the President to be more cautious and to fully consult with Congress. When the authorization for the use of force against Iraq was brought to Congress, he voted against it. After the initial decision, he repeatedly called for an end to the war, and voted for timelines to bring the troops home and to stop funding the war.

Consistent with these positions, he is also opposed to our new involvement in Libya. He is concerned about the possibilities of escalation and about the problems of getting involved in another war in the Muslim world. As with Iraq and Afghanistan, Congressman Serrano has voted to end our involvement there.

In pursuing the 'Global War on Terror', he is concerned that we have sacrificed our principles at home while engaging in open ended military conflict abroad. Congressman Serrano strongly opposes the sacrifices of civil liberties that have gone hand in hand with these wars. He has opposed warrantless wire tapping and repeatedly voted against extensions of the Patriot Act. In addition, he has called for the closing of Guantanamo Bay detention center and supported criminal trials in the United States for detainees there.

Overall, Congressman Serrano thinks that we are investing too many resources into military adventures abroad and not enough in the United States. He is concerned about the circumscription of civil liberties in the pursuit of the "Global War on Terror', and about the fact that there does not appear to be an end in sight. He strongly advocates bringing our troops home and refocusing our efforts on promoting our core principles at home and abroad, reserving the use of military force for when there is no other option.

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