The 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) that followed 9/11 has been broadly interpreted by presidents since then as allowing them to launch limitless wars, and for some time there’s been interest among some in Congress toward challenging this, ending the old AUMF and replacing it with real, specific authorizations for specific wars.

The October 4 ambush in Niger, which led to the deaths of four US special forces, has added to that push in a big way, because not only was this operation obviously not ever authorized by Congress, but in this case Congress wasn’t even told it was happening.