Stand up for US-allied warriors against political lawfare from their own governments
U.S. lawmakers Joni Ernst and Pat Harrigan urge Congress to oppose what they describe as politically motivated, retrospective legal actions against allied special operations forces in Australia and the United Kingdom, arguing such prosecutions undermine trust and military effectiveness. They highlight the cases of Australia's Ben Roberts-Smith and ongoing inquiries into Britain's SAS as examples of 'political lawfare' that deter elite soldiers and damage coalition interoperability. The authors call for formal U.S. support for allied warriors and legislative safeguards for American special operators. They stress the importance of honoring those who fought alongside U.S. troops under shared rules and dangerous conditions.
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Opinion Stand up for US-allied warriors against political lawfare from their own governments By Joni Ernst and Pat Harrigan Published April 28, 2026, 7:44 p.m. ET Ben Roberts-Smith attends the ANZAC dawn service on April 25, 2026 in Currumbin, Australia. Getty Images Australian authorities this month arrested Ben Roberts-Smith, the most decorated soldier in his country’s history. They accused him of war crimes tied to special operations he conducted in Afghanistan 15 or more years ago — charges he has repeatedly, consistently denied. Meanwhile, Britain’s elite Special Air Service is being dragged through a parallel process of government-commissioned inquiries and retrospective legal proceedings that its members never could have imagined when they volunteered to serve.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at New York Post.