text: Chapter 13
  RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
  13-6. Rules of engagement are 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 (JP 1-04). Often these directives are specific to an operation.
  Absent operation-specific rules of engagement, U.S. forces apply the standing rules of engagement. When
  working with a multinational force, commanders must thoroughly coordinate the rules of engagement.
  MISSION-SPECIFIC RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
  13-7. The standing rules of engagement provide a mechanism for combatant commanders to develop
  mission-specific rules of engagement by implementing supplemental measures within their discretion, or by
  submitting a request for supplemental measures to the Secretary of Defense for approval. These
  mission-specific rules of engagement are then passed down the chain of command in the form of a rules of
  engagement execute order, fragmentary order, or other formal operational tasking. The combatant
  commander and subordinate commanders must follow these mission-specific rules of engagement.
  Combatant commanders may augment the rules of engagement as necessary by implementing supplemental
  measures within their authority to approve. Both combatant commanders and subordinate commanders are
  required to notify the Secretary of Defense of any restrictions placed on the Secretary of Defense-approved
  mission-specific rules of engagement. Commanders at all levels are required to evaluate the rules of
  engagement and request changes if they determine the rules of engagement are inadequate for the mission.
  13-8. Taken as a whole, the rules of engagement regulate the conduct of U.S. forces for the application of
  force for mission accomplishment and the exercise of self-defense. For instance, for mission
  accomplishment, U.S. forces may be authorized to engage enemy forces declared hostile anywhere in the
  area of operations at anytime without the need to observe a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent. With
  respect to self-defense, unit commanders always retain the inherent right and obligation to exercise unit
  self-defense in response to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent. U.S. forces may exercise individual
  self-defense in response to a hostile act or demonstrated hostile intent; however, unit commanders may
  limit individual self-defense by members of their unit. The rules of engagement in counterinsurgency
  operations change from time to time. To meet the ever-changing operational environment, supplemental
  measures and the level of force commanders employ from day to day may change often. Commanders must
  regularly review the rules of engagement for their effectiveness in a complex counterinsurgency
  environment. Counterinsurgency leaders should frequently train their Soldiers and Marines in the
  application of the rules of engagement to the situations they may encounter in the area of operations so
  their actions become instinctive, effective, and legally sound.
  MULTINATIONAL RULES OF ENGAGEMENT
  13-9. U.S. forces assigned to the operational or tactical control of a multinational force follow the rules of
  engagement of the multinational force for mission accomplishment, if authorized by the Secretary of
  Defense. U.S. forces retain the right of self-defense. Apparent inconsistencies between the right of
  self-defense contained in U.S. rules of engagement and the rules of engagement of the multinational force
  will be submitted through the U.S. chain of command for resolution. While final resolution is pending, U.S.
  forces will continue to operate under the U.S. rules of engagement. When U.S. forces, under U.S.
  operational or tactical control, operate with a multinational force, reasonable efforts are made to develop
  combined or common rules of engagement. If common rules of engagement cannot be developed, U.S.
  forces operate under U.S. rules of engagement. The multinational forces will be informed prior to U.S.
  participation in the operation that U.S. forces intend to operate under U.S. rules of engagement. U.S. forces
  remain bound by international agreements to which the U.S. is a party even though other multinational
  force members may not be bound by them. The U.S. does not interpret any international agreements, such
  as status-of-forces agreements, to limit U.S. forces’ right of self-defense.
  LAW OF WAR
  13-10. Counterinsurgency operations may occur in both an international armed conflict (state versus state)
  and a non-international armed conflict (state versus armed nonstate actor). Situations can occur, such as