Report: Document let GIs pursue enemy beyond Iraq

[unhappycamper]

Report: Document let GIs pursue enemy beyond Iraq
Stars and Stripes
Mideast edition, Tuesday, February 5, 2008

U.S. military forces in Iraq were authorized to pursue former members of Saddam Hussein’s government and terrorists across Iraq’s borders into Iran and Syria, The New York Times reported Monday, citing a classified 2005 document made public by an independent Web site.

Published by the organization Wikileaks and which American officials told the Times appeared authentic, the document outlined the rules of engagement for the American division that was based in Baghdad and central Iraq that year.

Wikileaks, a Web site that encourages posting of leaked materials, told the Times that its goal in disclosing secret documents is to reveal “unethical behavior” by governments and corporations.

The U.S. military command in Baghdad on Sunday criticized the group’s decision to post the document, according to the report. “While we will not comment on whether this is, in fact, an official document, we do consider the deliberate release of what Wikileaks believes to be a classified document is irresponsible and, if valid, could put U.S. military personnel at risk,” Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith said.

Rules of engagement in Iraq, which cover the procedures for using force on a battlefield in which insurgents and terrorists mix with civilians, have long been considered highly classified. The American military’s concern is that adversaries will be able to adjust their tactics if they know the rules that describe the specific circumstances in which force may and may not be used, the Times wrote.


Rest of article at: http://www.stripes.com/article.asp?section=104&article=52202



uhc comment: The wikileaks.org document in question --> http://wikileaks.org/wiki/US_Iraq_Rules_of_Engagement_leaked