FACT SHEET: Executive Order on the US Policy on Pre & Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties in the US Operations Involving the Use of Force & the DNI Release of Aggregate Data on Strike Outside Area of Active Hostilitie
https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2016/07/01/fact-sheet-executive-order-us-policy-pre-post-strike-measures-addressSince President Obama took office, he has been clear that, when necessary, the United States will use force abroad to protect the American people consistent with our values and all applicable law, including the law of armed conflict. He has also emphasized the need to be as transparent as possible with the American people about the basis for our counterterrorism operations and the manner in which they are conducted in order to enhance the public’s confidence in these activities, set standards for other nations to follow, and counter terrorist propaganda and false accusations about U.S. operations. Additionally, the President has underscored that we will continue to develop a sustainable legal and policy architecture to guide our counterterrorism activities going forward. To these ends, in 2013 the President approved and publicly described policy guidance formalizing and strengthening the rigorous standards and procedures governing our use of lethal force against terrorist targets outside areas of active hostilities. Today, the Administration is taking additional steps to institutionalize and enhance best practices regarding U.S. counterterrorism operations and other U.S. operations involving the use of force, as well as to provide greater transparency and accountability regarding these operations.
These steps include promulgating an Executive Order on United States Policy on Pre- and Post-Strike Measures to Address Civilian Casualties in U.S. Operations Involving the Use of Force, as well as releasing aggregate data regarding both the number of strikes undertaken during this Administration by the U.S. Government against terrorist targets located outside areas of active hostilities and the range of assessed combatant and non-combatant deaths resulting from those strikes. The Executive Order provides additional information on best practices and procedures that are already in place for current operations and that will be applied in future operations, regardless of the location. Collectively, these measures demonstrate the professionalism and high standards employed by U.S. Government personnel who help keep Americans safe from terrorist threats overseas, while also underscoring our commitment to constantly refine and strengthen our counterterrorism framework and enhance accountability for our actions.
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