Iraq War authorization repealed by House

The House repeals the 2002 authorization for use of force in Iraq, a step supporters say constrains presidential war powers.

An extremWASHINGTON — ist group like al-Qaida may be able to regenerate in Afghan- istan and pose a threat to the U.S. homeland within two years of the American military’s withdrawal from the country, the Pentagon’s top leaders said Thursday.

It was the most specific public forecast of the pros-

pects for a renewed international terrorist threat from Afghanistan since President Joe Biden announced in April that all U.S. troops would withdraw by Sept. 11.

At a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., asked Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Gen. Mark Milley whether they rated

the likelihood of a regeneration of al-Qaida or the Islamic State group in Afghanistan as small, medium or large.

“I would assess it as medium,” Austin replied. “I would also say, senator, that it would take possibly two years for them to develop that capability.”

Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan, said he agreed.

“I think that if certain other things happen — if there was a collapse of the government or the dissolution of the Afghan security forces — that risk would obviously increase, but right now I would say ‘medium’ and about two years or so,” Milley said.

The U.S. invaded Afghani- stan after the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on America, when the Taliban allowed al-Qaida safe haven in the country. The key goal of U.S. and coalition troops in Afghanistan since then has been to prevent a resurgence. Military leaders have consistently said combat oper- ations in Afghanistan have greatly reduced the number of al-Qaida there.