IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 920 
Calling for revisions to the existing rules of engagement under Operation 
Resolute Support in Afghanistan. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 28, 2016 
Mr. WILSON of South Carolina submitted the following resolution; which was 
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the 
Committee on Armed Services, for a period to be subsequently deter-
mined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 
as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 
RESOLUTION 
Calling for revisions to the existing rules of engagement 
under Operation Resolute Support in Afghanistan. 
Whereas, according to some press accounts, Taliban forces 
now maintain a significant presence controlling 28 per-
cent of districts across Afghanistan, more than at any 
point since 2001; 
Whereas Taliban personnel are determined to take control of 
Helmand and secure its stake in heroin trade, an impor-
tant source of income for the fundamentalist Islamic 
movement; 
Whereas continued talks between Afghan Government offi-
cials and Taliban leaders have ceased, with the death of 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:10 Sep 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR920.IH
HR920
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 920 IH 
Mullah Akhtar Mansour, Taliban moderates refuse to 
compromise for any peace; 
Whereas Taliban forces continue to harbor and assist known 
terrorist groups such as the Haqqani Network with weap-
ons and territorial passage and are directly responsible 
for the deaths of United States and allied troops; 
Whereas the former United States commander in Afghani-
stan, General John Campbell, argued before he retired 
that the Taliban must be forced into a decision between 
fighting and talking, stating ‘‘they have to have more 
pressure put on them and one way to do that is to poten-
tially strike them.’’; 
Whereas in May 2016, General David Petraeus stated in the 
Wall Street Journal, ‘‘[T]he rules of engagement mean 
that the indigenous Afghan and Pakistani Taliban gen-
erally get a pass. Yet it was the Taliban that allowed al 
Qaeda the sanctuary in Afghanistan in which the 9/11 at-
tacks were planned, and which presumably would make 
the Taliban a legitimate target under the 2001 Author-
ization for Use of Military Force.’’; 
Whereas General Campbell testified before Congress, stating 
‘‘If the Taliban are attacking coalition forces, then I have 
everything I need to do that, to attack the Taliban just 
because they’re Taliban, I do not have that authority.’’; 
Whereas the 2001 authorization of the use of military force 
(Public Law 107–40) consistently has been cited by the 
Bush and Obama Administrations as providing legal au-
thority for the use of force against the Afghan Taliban; 
and 
Whereas United States operations against the Taliban have 
been undermined with strict rules of engagement which 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:10 Sep 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6300
E:\BILLS\HR920.IH
HR920
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS
•HRES 920 IH 
are confusing, contradictory, inconsistent, and politically 
driven: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) urges the President to revise the existing 
rules of engagement in Afghanistan and provide 
commanders the ability to target Taliban outside of 
instances where they pose a direct threat to the 
United States or its allies; 
(2) condemns in the strongest terms the ter-
rorist activity in the Afghanistan region, especially 
the actions Taliban forces have assisted and partici-
pated in against Afghan forces, United States 
Armed Forces and NATO Forces; 
(3) remains concerned regarding the flow of 
foreign fighters to and from Afghanistan; and 
(4) urges the President to empower the com-
mander of Operation Resolute Support with the au-
thority to train, advise, and assist the Afghan Na-
tional Defense Security Forces at the tactical level 
as missions require. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
22:10 Sep 29, 2016
Jkt 059200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\HR920.IH
HR920
sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with BILLS