,,iii #aaith ,,congress #b;d ,session ,s4 ,,res4 #gbb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #cj1 #bjbf,ms4 ,ernst 7for herself and ,mr4 ,sheehy7 submitted the following resolution2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,foreign ,relations ,,resolution ,addressing the politicization of war crimes allegations against allied special operations forces4 ,whereas the ,united ,states is bound by longstanding military alliances and partnerships with nations1 including the ,united ,kingdom1 ,australia1 ,canada1 ,new ,zealand1 and other coalition allies1 which have stood alongside ,united ,states forces in conflicts and international missions over decades1 demonstrating shared sacrifice and commitment2 ,whereas servicemembers from these allied nations have fought and bled beside ,united ,states troops in coalition operations1 including collective security and counter terrorism missions in ,afghanistan1 ,iraq1 and other conflict zones1 and have borne significant sacrifices1 as evidenced by the #deg ,united ,kingdom personnel and #da ,australian personnel who lost their lives during the ,afghanistan war1 among many others from allied countries2 ,whereas the special operations forces of these partner nations 7such as the ,united ,kingdom's ,special ,air ,service and ,australia's ,special ,air ,service ,regiment and ,commandos7 have played an integral role in achieving coalition objectives1 demonstrating exceptional courage1 skill1 and dedication in joint operations to advance global security and stability2 ,whereas1 in recent years1 unjust allegations of war crimes have been raised against members of the special operations forces of certain allied countries1 including ,australia and the ,united ,kingdom1 based on actions during the ,afghanistan conflict and other deployments1 leading to heavily politicized official inquiries1 leading to unwarranted investigations influenced by domestic politics2 ,whereas retrospective and politically motivated accusations of war crimes1 particularly those surfacing years after the events1 without substantial evidence1 risk undermining morale and trust by creating a perception that honorable service is being second-guessed for political gain1 and such politicization of justice could erode the vital interoperability and cohesion among ,united ,states and allied forces2 ,whereas the strain that politicized allegations can place on alliances and cooperation is exemplified by the ,united ,states warning in #bjba that these politically influenced findings of war crimes by ,australian special forces in ,afghanistan might trigger legal restrictions 7under section #fbj,m of the ,foreign ,assistance ,act of #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcgh;d7 and section #cfb of title #aj1 ,united ,states ,code 7commonly known as the ,leahy ,laws77 on ,united ,states forces partnering with certain ,australian units1 thereby imperiling the hard-earned trust and integration between our militaries2 ,whereas the ,united ,states and its allies share an interest in upholding the rule of law and ensuring that any alleged war crimes are investigated impartially and thoroughly1 with due process and respect for justice1 but also in ensuring that these processes remain free of political interference or attempts to score partisan or ideological points at the expense of servicemembers' reputations2 ,whereas the ,united ,states1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and allied nations conducted military operations in reliance on the ,law of ,armed ,conflict as recognized in their official doctrine and treaty obligations2 ,whereas retroactively applying novel or evolving interpretations of humanitarian law to past operations undermines the bedrock principle of legal certainty1 invites politicized and selective prosecutions1 punishes good-faith compliance efforts1 erodes interoperability and trust among allies1 inhibits timely decision making in combat1 weakens deterrence1 and emboldens adversaries who would weaponize legal ambiguity by signaling that service members and commanders cannot rely on the rules in force at the time2 and ,whereas the integrity and strength of ,united ,states alliances are critical to ,united ,states national security1 and preserving mutual respect and confidence is essential so that future coalition operations are not hampered by fear that members of the ,united ,states ,armed ,forces could be subject to unfair or politicized legal actions long after their missions end3 ,now1 therefore1 be it ,that it is the sense of ,congress that-- 7#a7 the ,united ,states profoundly appreciates and acknowledges the longstanding alliances with countries such as the ,united ,kingdom1 ,australia1 and other partner nations1 and honors the service and sacrifices of their ,armed ,forces who have fought alongside ,united ,states troops in ,afghanistan1 ,iraq1 and other missions1 and these sacrifices are exemplified by the lives lost and injuries suffered by allied servicemembers in these conflicts2 7#b7 allied forces participated in these collective security and counterterrorism operations at the behest of and in support of mutual defense agreements and ,united ,states-led missions1 and their contributions were integral to the success of those missions1 reflecting a shared commitment to global security2 7#c7 ,congress expresses concern that retrospective1 politically motivated accusations of war crimes against the special operations forces of ,united ,states allies1 particularly when raised or revisited long after the fact1 risk undermining the mutual trust1 interoperability1 and morale that underpin the ,united ,states-allied military relationships1 and such accusations1 if driven by political pressures rather than purely by facts and evidence1 are viewed as detrimental to alliance unity and the confidence of our servicemembers2 7#d7 the executive branch1 including the ,department of ,defense and the ,department of ,state1 is urged to work proactively with the governments of allied nations1 such as ,australia1 the ,united ,kingdom1 and others1 to ensure that any investigations or legal processes regarding alleged war crimes by their servicemembers are conducted without politicization1 thereby bolstering confidence in the outcomes and reinforcing our mutual trust2 and 7#e7 honoring the sacrifices of allied servicemembers and preserving the strength and cohesion of our alliances is in the national interest of the ,united ,states1 and while the rule of law must always be respected1 the politicization of war crimes allegations for short-term political purposes is strongly discouraged as it runs counter to our shared values and threatens to weaken the crucial alliances that safeguard international peace and security4