Enclosure A
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5. Definitions
a.
Inherent Right of Self-Defense. A commander has the authority and obligation to use all necessary means available and to take all appropriate actions
to defend that commander's unit and other US forces in the vicinity from a hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent. Neither these rules, nor the supplemental measures activated to augment these rules, limit this inherent right and obligation. At all times, the requirements of necessity and proportionality, as amplified in these SROE, will form the basis for the judgment of the on-scene commander (OSC) or individual as to what constitutes an appropriate response to a particular hostile act or demonstration of hostile intent.
b.
National Self-Defense.
Defense of the United States, US forces, and, in certain circumstances, US nationals and their property, and/or US commercial assets. National self-defense may be exercised in two ways: first, it may be exercised by designated authority extending protection against a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent to US nationals and their property, and/or designated US commercial assets [in this case, US forces will respond to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent in the same manner they would if the threat were directed against US forces]; second, it may be exercised by designated authority declaring a foreign force or terrorist(s) hostile [in this case, individual US units do not need to observe a hostile act or determine hostile intent before engaging that force or terrorist(s)].
c.
Collective Self-Defense.
The act of defending designated non-US forces, and/or designated foreign nationals and their property from a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent. Unlike national self-defense, the authority to extend US protection to designated non-US forces, foreign nationals and their property may not be exercised below the NCA level. Similar to unit self-defense and the extension of US forces protection to US nationals and their property and/or commercial assets, the exercise of collective self-defense must be based on an observed hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent.
d.
Unit Self-Defense. The act of defending
a particular US force element, including individual personnel thereof, and other US forces in the vicinity, against a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent.
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