Passed three days after the tragedy of Sept. 11, AUFM gives the president sweeping authority to “use all necessary and appropriate force” against any nation, organization or person involved in those attacks. Now, 13 years later, invoking this law, Presidents Bush and Obama have at least 30 times used it to justify activities, including overseas wars, detentions without due process and warrantless wiretapping at home. Unrestrained by geography, the law has been used to carry out military operations in at least 10 countries since 2001, according to the Congressional Research Service.