,,iii  #aai? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  
,s4 ,,res4 #gbb  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!
 ,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,april #cj1 #bjbf,ms4 
,ern/ 7= h]self & ,mr4 ,%eehy7 submitt$ 
! foll[+ resolution2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !  
,committee on ,=eign ,relations         
,,resolution  ,address+ ! politicization
 ( w> crimes allegations aga9/ alli$    
special op]ations =ces4  ,:]eas ! ,unit$
 ,/ates is b\nd by long/&+ milit>y      
alliances & p>tn]%ips ) nations1 includ+
 ! ,unit$ ,k+dom1 ,au/ralia1 ,canada1   
,new ,zeal&1 & o!r coalition allies1 :i*
 h /ood alongside ,unit$ ,/ates =ces 9  
conflicts & int]national missions ov]   
decades1 demon/rat+ %>$ sacrifice &     
commitm5t2 ,:]eas s]vicememb]s f ^!     
alli$ nations h f\ght & bl$ beside      
,unit$ ,/ates troops 9 coalition        
op]ations1 includ+ collective security &
 c\nt] t]rorism missions 9 ,afghani/an1 
,iraq1 & o!r conflict zones1 & h borne  
significant sacrifices1 z evid5c$ by !  
#deg ,unit$ ,k+dom p]sonnel & #da       
,au/ralian p]sonnel :o lo/ _! lives dur+

 ! ,afghani/an w>1 among _m o!rs f alli$
 c\ntries2 ,:]eas ! special op]ations   
=ces ( ^! p>tn] nations 7su* z ! ,unit$ 
,k+dom's ,special ,air ,s]vice &        
,au/ralia's ,special ,air ,s]vice       
,regim5t & ,comm&os7 h play$ an integral
 role 9 a*iev+ coalition objectives1    
demon/rat+ exceptional c\rage1 skill1 & 
d$ication 9 jo9t op]ations to advance   
global security & /ability2 ,:]eas1 9   
rec5t ye>s1 unju/ allegations ( w>      
crimes h be5 rais$ aga9/ memb]s ( !     
special op]ations =ces ( c]ta9 alli$    
c\ntries1 includ+ ,au/ralia & ! ,unit$  
,k+dom1 bas$ on actions dur+ !          
,afghani/an conflict & o!r deploym5ts1  
lead+ to heavily politiciz$ (ficial     
inquiries1 lead+ to unw>rant$           
inve/igations influ5c$ by dome/ic       
politics2 ,:]eas retrospective &        
politically motivat$ accusations ( w>   
crimes1 p>ticul>ly ^? surfac+ ye>s aft] 
! ev5ts1 )\t sub/antial evid5ce1 risk   
und]m9+ morale & tru/ by creat+ a       
p]ception t honorable s]vice is be+     

second-guess$ = political ga91 & su*    
politicization ( ju/ice c\ld erode !    
vital int]op]ability & cohesion among   
,unit$ ,/ates & alli$ =ces2 ,:]eas !    
/ra9 t politiciz$ allegations c place on
 alliances & coop]ation is exemplifi$ by
 ! ,unit$ ,/ates w>n+ 9 #bjba t ^!      
politically influ5c$ f9d+s ( w> crimes  
by ,au/ralian special =ces 9 ,afghani/an
 might trigg] legal re/rictions 7"u     
section #fbj,m ( ! ,=eign ,assi/ance    
,act ( #aifa 7#bb ,u4,s4,c4 #bcgh;d7 &  
section #cfb ( title #aj1 ,unit$ ,/ates 
,code 7commonly kn[n z ! ,leahy ,laws77 
on ,unit$ ,/ates =ces p>tn]+ ) c]ta9    
,au/ralian units1 !reby imp]il+ !       
h>d-e>n$ tru/ & integration betwe5 our  
milit>ies2 ,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates & its 
allies %>e an int]e/ 9 uphold+ ! rule ( 
law & ensur+ t any alleg$ w> crimes are 
inve/igat$ imp>tially & ?or\ghly1 ) due 
process & respect = ju/ice1 b also 9    
ensur+ t ^! processes rema9 free (      
political int]f]5ce or attempts to score
 p>tisan or ideological po9ts at !      

exp5se ( s]vicememb]s' reputations2     
,:]eas ! ,unit$ ,/ates1 ! ,unit$ ,k+dom1
 & alli$ nations conduct$ milit>y       
op]ations 9 reliance on ! ,law ( ,arm$  
,conflict z recogniz$ 9 _! (ficial      
doctr9e & treaty obligations2 ,:]eas    
retroactively apply+ novel or evolv+    
int]pretations ( humanit>ian law to pa/ 
op]ations und]m9es ! b$rock pr9ciple (  
legal c]ta9ty1 invites politiciz$ &     
selective prosecutions1 puni%es         
good-fai? compliance ef=ts1 erodes      
int]op]ability & tru/ among allies1     
inhibits timely decision mak+ 9 combat1 
weak5s det]r5ce1 & embold5s adv]s>ies :o
 w\ld weaponize legal ambiguity by      
signal+ t s]vice memb]s & comm&]s _c    
rely on ! rules 9 =ce at ! "t2 & ,:]eas 
! integrity & /r5g? ( ,unit$ ,/ates     
alliances are critical to ,unit$ ,/ates 
national security1 & pres]v+ mutual     
respect & confid5ce is ess5tial s t     
future coalition op]ations are n hamp]$ 
by fe> t memb]s ( ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,arm$ 
,=ces c\ld be subject to unfair or      

politiciz$ legal actions long aft] _!   
missions end3 ,n[1 !re=e1 be x ,t x is !
 s5se ( ,congress t-- 7#a7 ! ,unit$     
,/ates pr(\ndly appreciates & ackn[l$ges
 ! long/&+ alliances ) c\ntries su* z ! 
,unit$ ,k+dom1 ,au/ralia1 & o!r p>tn]   
nations1 & honors ! s]vice & sacrifices 
( _! ,arm$ ,=ces :o h f\ght alongside   
,unit$ ,/ates troops 9 ,afghani/an1     
,iraq1 & o!r missions1 & ^! sacrifices  
are exemplifi$ by ! lives lo/ & injuries
 suff]$ by alli$ s]vicememb]s 9 ^!      
conflicts2  7#b7 alli$ =ces p>ticipat$ 9
 ^! collective security & c\nt]t]rorism 
op]ations at ! behe/ ( & 9 support (    
mutual def5se agreem5ts & ,unit$        
,/ates-l$ missions1 & _! contributions 7
 integral to ! success ( ^? missions1   
reflect+ a %>$ commitm5t to global      
security2  7#c7 ,congress expresses     
conc]n t retrospective1 politically     
motivat$ accusations ( w> crimes aga9/ !
 special op]ations =ces ( ,unit$ ,/ates 
allies1 p>ticul>ly :5 rais$ or revisit$ 
long aft] ! fact1 risk und]m9+ ! mutual 

tru/1 int]op]ability1 & morale t und]p9 
! ,unit$ ,/ates-alli$ milit>y           
relation%ips1 & su* accusations1 if     
driv5 by political pressures r ?an      
purely by facts & evid5ce1 are view$ z  
detrim5tal to alliance unity & !        
confid5ce ( our s]vicememb]s2  7#d7 !   
executive bran*1 includ+ ! ,dep>tm5t (  
,def5se & ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,/ate1 is urg$  
to "w proactively ) ! gov]nm5ts ( alli$ 
nations1 su* z ,au/ralia1 ! ,unit$      
,k+dom1 & o!rs1 to ensure t any         
inve/igations or legal processes reg>d+ 
alleg$ w> crimes by _! s]vicememb]s are 
conduct$ )\t politicization1 !reby      
bol/]+ confid5ce 9 ! outcomes & re9=c+  
our mutual tru/2 &  7#e7 honor+ !       
sacrifices ( alli$ s]vicememb]s &       
pres]v+ ! /r5g? & cohesion ( our        
alliances is 9 ! national int]e/ ( !    
,unit$ ,/ates1 & :ile ! rule ( law mu/  
always be respect$1 ! politicization (  
w> crimes allegations = %ort-t]m        
political purposes is /rongly disc\rag$ 
z x runs c\nt] to our %>$ values &      

?reat5s to weak5 ! crucial alliances t  
safegu>d int]national peace & security4