U.S. Spells Out Grounds for Action Against Taliban

WASHINGTON—The White House has authorized U.S. military forces to target Taliban militants in Afghanistan if they pose a direct threat to the U.S. or its military forces or provide support to al Qaeda, according to U.S. officials.

The authorization spells out additional details of U.S. operations in Afghanistan in 2015, but a senior administration official said the move does not represent an expansion of the American mission.

The U.S. will not target Taliban members solely because they are affiliated with the group. But Taliban members who threaten U.S. forces or are found to be working with al Qaeda could be targeted, the senior administration official said.

“While we will no longer target belligerents solely because they are members of the Taliban, to the extent that Taliban members directly threaten the United States and coalition forces in Afghanistan or provide direct support to al Qaeda, we will take appropriate measures to keep Americans safe,” the official said.

When announcing a continuation of the military presence in Afghanistan beyond this year, President Barack Obama outlined a narrow, twofold mission for the U.S. forces that remain in Afghanistan after the end of the year: counterterrorism and continued training for the Afghan security forces.

A U.S. official said the new authorization would allow American airstrikes against Taliban militants who pose a threat to U.S. forces still there, as well as strikes in support of special operations raids on al Qaeda targets and some Afghan security force operations.  Read More at WSJ