rule of engagement

n., pl., rules of engagement.
A directive issued by competent military authority that delineates the limitations and circumstances under which forces will initiate and prosecute combat engagement with other forces encountered.

The conduct of war is governed by laws and conventions. Among these are rules laid down by governments and command authorities governing the circumstances in which their armed services may use force, and to what degree. Rules of engagement are designed to prevent the inadvertent escalation of a situation, and strive to follow general precepts of law. These presuppose that aggressive action will not be instigated against the forces of another state, or against armed groups within a state, without careful observance of guidelines laid down by governments. The inherent difficulties of rules of engagement lie within the conflict which often arises between political and military necessity. This can lead to vital targets being declared off limits to attack, ensure that friendly forces are placed at a disadvantage or in grave danger, and create confusion owing to ambiguities.

The difficulties pertaining to rules of engagement vary according to situation. In an internal security situation, it is desirable that a government provides clear rules of engagement to the military personnel deployed. Although they are not fail-safe, these rules ensure that military force is only employed as a last resort, and within the confines of national law. The most obvious examples of such rules of engagement can be found in the British army's presence in Northern Ireland since 1969. The rules of engagement, laid out in the so-called ‘yellow card’, make explicitly clear when a soldier may employ lethal force. The rules are not so rigid as to be utterly proscriptive, since soldiers are required to utilize their initiative, with the rules of engagement providing them with suitable guidelines. A further consideration is that the rules of engagement in a civilian arena are governed by national law; thus, in Northern Ireland, the principle that only the minimum force necessary may be used is enshrined in the regulations. Where it is deemed that this principle has been breached, prosecutions under civil law have taken place.

In situations where military forces confront one another, rules of engagement are laid down to prevent escalation of hostilities or their premature commencement, but they must not be so prescriptive as to impinge upon necessary action. America's prosecution of the Vietnam war was at times hindered by the rules of engagement, which, for example, negated the technological sophistication of its equipment, thus placing the advantage in the hands of its enemies. Since rules of engagement are essentially the responsibility of national governments, it is no easy task to harmonize them in the context of alliance or coalition operations, a point that has caused increasing concern in an era of multinational peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations.

Rules of engagement must be varied to take account of changing situations. While they are vitally important to ensure that military force is not employed too early or to extremes, they must be flexible enough to allow some freedom of action. Command and control systems must be flexible enough to permit swift passage of orders regarding changes in rules of engagement. While it is correctly perceived that democratic, civil control over armed forces is desirable, governments have a responsibility to ensure that they do not prescribe rules which place their forces at a disadvantage.

— David Jordan

(ROE) are directives issued by commanders that control the use of military force. Basic standards for the use of force have been with the U.S. military since the Revolutionary War. The classic example was: “Don’t shoot until you see the whites of their eyes.” Although basic standards for the use of force have long been used, the term Rules of Engagement is of recent origin. Detailed ROE standards were developed during the Cold War era, partly in response to the changing technology and increasing lethality of weapons.

The Laws of War (LOW) include international treaties and customary practices that guide civilized nations. The basic LOW principles of necessity, proportionality, and avoiding collateral damage are the fundamentals that guide the drafting of ROE for all U.S. military operations.

In the 1980s, a series of incidents caused a reexamination of ROE for U.S. forces. The multinational force ROE in Beirut in 1983 restricted sentries from loading their weapons without instructions from a commissioned officer. This rule was in effect when a suicide truck‐bomber ran the gate of the U.S. compound at the Beirut airport, destroying the Marine barracks and killing 241 Marines. In another incident, ambiguous ROE for the warship USS Vincennes contributed to the destruction of a civilian Iranian airliner and the death of all aboard on 3 July 1988. After an extensive review, the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1994 approved new Standing Rules of Engagement (SROE) to replace the Peacetime Rules of Engagement (PROE) in use since 1988. The SROE provide for self‐defense whenever U.S. forces are subjected to a hostile act or when there is clear evidence of hostile intent.

Military lawyers are usually involved in the preparation and dissemination of ROE, but guidance on the use of force is ultimately the commander's responsibility. When U.S. forces engage in multinational or United Nations– sponsored operations, U.S. policy now requires effective ROE that provide adequately for both mission accomplishment and self‐defense.

[See also Peacekeeping.]

Bibliography

• Major Mark S. Martins, U.S. Army, Rules of Engagement for Land Forces: A Matter of Training, Not Lawyering, Military Law Review (Winter 1994).
• Colonel F. M. Lorenz, U.S. Marine Corps, Forging Rules of Engagement, Military Review (November–December 1995), p. 17

Directives issued by competent military authority which delineate the circumstances and limitations under which military forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered.

See the Introduction, Abbreviations and Pronunciation for further details.

(DOD) Directives issued by competent military authority that delineate the circumstances and limitations under which United States forces will initiate and/or continue combat engagement with other forces encountered. Also called ROE. See also law of war.

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