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Pursuit Rules For Iraq Leaked

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By ERIC SCHMITT and MICHAEL R. GORDON, The New York Times

Published: February 4, 2008

WASHINGTON - 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, according to a classified 2005 document that has been posted on an independent Web site.

The document, which was made public by the organization Wikileaks and which U.S. officials said appeared authentic, outlined the rules of engagement for the American division that was based in Baghdad and central Iraq that year.

Wikileaks said its goal in disclosing secret documents was to reveal "unethical behavior" by governments and corporations. It has previously posted the U.S. military's manual for operating the U.S. prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; an assessment of a 2004 attack in Fallujah; and lists of American military equipment in Iraq.

The American military command in Baghdad on Sunday sharply criticized the group's decision.

"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," said Rear Adm. Gregory J. Smith, a spokesman for the command.

Rules of engagement in Iraq, which cover the procedures for using force on a battlefield in which insurgents and terrorists mix with civilians, long have been considered highly classified. The U.S. 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 2005 document covers the procedures used by Multi-National Division Baghdad, the American unit that operated in the Iraqi capital and central Iraq.

In a section on crossing international borders, the document noted that the permission of the U.S. defense secretary was required before U.S. forces could cross into or fly over Iranian or Syrian territory. Such actions, the document suggested, probably also would require the approval of President Bush.

But the document noted there were cases in which such approval was not required: when U.S. forces were hotly pursuing former members of Saddam's government or terrorists.

Approval by the defense secretary "is not required to conduct uninterrupted pursuit and engagement of positively identified former regime military aircraft, terrorist and senior former military leadership and senior nonmilitary elements of former Iraqi regime command and control across international borders," the document said.

It stated that the American commander engaged in the pursuit, however, should consult with top commanders in Baghdad, "time permitting."

It is not known if the authority to conduct hot pursuits across the Iranian and Syrian borders was used or what authority exists today.

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