VoteVets launches web hub to oppose new Republican Forever Wars

Support from Reps. Lieu, Deluzio, Ryan, among others to kick off campaign

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, VoteVets is leading an effort to keep Americans informed of the new Forever Wars the Trump administration is sliding into, without a peep from Republicans in Congress, and a campaign for those opposed to those new Forever Wars to take action. The group launched NoForeverWars.org – a central hub for news and action items related to new military actions the administration has launched or is planning to launch.

The site also lays out a statement of principles for public officials to support. Among the first backers of this statement are Reps. Ted Lieu, Chris Deluzio and Pat Ryan – veteran leaders in Congress and leaders of the Democratic Veterans Caucus.

The statement is signed by 13 Veteran Congressional Candidates: Representatives Ted Lieu, Chris Deluzio, Pat Ryan, Jake Auchincloss, Salud Carbajal, Gil Cisneros, Herb Conaway, Jason Crow, Chrissy Houlahan, Robert “Bobby” Scott, Mike Thompson, Derek Tran, and Eugene Vindman.

While President Trump likes to claim he has ended multiple wars that do not involve American boots on the ground, his administration is quickly committing the US Military to new Forever Wars – military action that is ill-defined, without any metrics for success or exit strategy. These include his increasing reliance on National Guard troops to deploy to Democratic areas of the country for political reasons, illegal strikes on boats in the Caribbean and plans for war against Venezuela, and plans to return troops to Afghanistan – the longest Forever War in American history.

His administration has also openly talked about plans for war in Nigeria and military action in Mexico.

VoteVets and Members of Congress explained that none of these actions should be siloed off from the other. Together, they represent a massive betrayal of Trump’s promises to stop endless expeditionary wars and wars for regime change.

“A hell of a lot of people voted for Donald Trump, believing that he would end the Forever Wars that took too many lives, cost way too many others their health, and cost taxpayers trillions of dollars. Turns out, he just wanted to start his new Forever Wars,” said Max Rose, Afghanistan Veteran, former Member of Congress, and VoteVets senior advisor. “Our campaign is simple and clear – this is not going to happen on our watch. Starting today, we hold his feet to the fire, as well as his Republican allies who’ve done absolutely nothing to assert their Constitutional authority to stop this madness.”

“I was on the receiving end of dangerous and misguided chickenhawk foreign policy as a soldier in Iraq – it’s one of the main reasons I ran for office in the first place. I will not stand by and watch it happen again,” said Congressman Pat Ryan, Co-Chair of the Democratic Veterans Caucus. “Our young men and women in uniform are our most precious resource and the decision to send them into harm’s way is our most grave responsibility. We will not let the President push us into yet another set of forever wars.”

“Presidents do not get blank checks to start new wars,” said Congressman Ted Lieu, Vice Chair of the House Democratic Caucus. “The Constitution is clear: Congress decides when we send Americans to war. What we’re seeing from the Trump administration is dangerous mission creep with no transparency, no strategy, and no authorization. I’m proud to support this effort because America cannot afford another set of reckless forever wars.”

“Too often, politicians fail to ask the hard questions before sending Americans to war,” said Congressman Chris Deluzio, Co-Chair of the Democratic Veterans Caucus. “This is not new: warhawks rush our nation into forever wars, never making the case to the American people and without a clear exit plan and goal,  racking up a staggering toll of precious American blood and treasure. I saw this happen during my time in uniform, and I see it starting to happen again. We refuse to sit by and watch this administration make the same mistakes. Congress, not the President, holds the power to declare war. I’m proud to be in the fight to reassert Congress’ power and hold this administration accountable.”

VoteVets plans on expanding this campaign in the coming weeks and adding new signers to its statement of principles on a rolling basis.

Founded in 2006, VoteVets was one of the first major veterans groups to not only oppose the ongoing war in Iraq, but tie the mission creep there to the spiraling war in Afghanistan, under the banner of Forever Wars. The group opposed the surges in both wars and successfully fought for a repeal of the Authorization for Use of Military Force against Iraq, and ushered in a new era of accountability for a branch of government that had, for too long, handed blank checks for war to presidents. Today’s announcement is a return to those roots.