Congressman Pat Harrigan and Senator Joni Ernst Introduce Resolution Defending Allied Special Operations Forces from Politically Motivated Prosecutions

May 1, 2026 Press Release Contact: Lexi Kranich (814) 380-4408 WASHINGTON, D.C.— Today, Congressman Pat Harrigan (NC-10) and Senator Joni Ernst introduced a bicameral resolution addressing the politicization of war crimes allegations against allied Special Operations Forces, calling on Congress to go on record that retrospective, politically motivated prosecutions of allied special operators damage the trust and interoperability that American alliances depend on. "What is happening to allied special operators in Australia and the United Kingdom is a direct threat to American national security, and Congress needs to go on the record about it. These men executed the hardest missions of the Afghanistan war at America's request, under shared doctrine, against shared enemies, and prosecuting warriors years after the fact under legal standards that were never in place when they acted serves politics, not justice. This isn't limited to the Global War on Terror either. British soldiers are now being hauled into court for operations they conducted during the Troubles in Northern Ireland in the 1980s, under legal frameworks that simply did not exist at the time. Our allies fought beside us when we asked them to, and they have earned more than silence from Washington," said Congressman Harrigan. The resolution expresses the sense of Congress that the United States deeply values its longstanding alliances with the United Kingdom, Australia, and other coalition partners whose forces fought alongside American troops in Afghanistan, Iraq, and other conflicts, including the 457 United Kingdom and 41 Australian personnel who gave their lives during the Afghanistan war. It urges the Departments of Defense and State to engage allied governments directly to ensure that any investigations or legal processes regarding alleged war crimes are conducted free from political interference. The resolution also warns that retroactively applying novel or evolving interpretations of humanitarian law to past operations, including operations conducted decades ago during conflicts like the Troubles in Northern Ireland, undermines legal certainty, erodes interoperability among allies, and emboldens adversaries who would weaponize legal ambiguity against Western forces. The retroactive application of laws that did not exist at the time of these operations is not accountability. It is a political weapon being used against men who served in good faith under the rules their governments established. Congressman Harrigan and Senator Ernst are urging their colleagues to support the resolution and stand alongside America's closest allies in pushing back against the politicization of war crimes allegations against the special operators who fought beside American forces. Issues : Supporting Veterans and Military Families National Security