KABUL — A report released Monday accuses Afghanistan’s army and police of failing to address civilian casualties as the country’s newly built forces assume responsibility for security during NATO’s military withdrawal. The Center for Civilians in Conflict, a Washington-based research organization, said in its report that “the capacity of the Afghan government and security forces…
Submitted testimony of Sarah Holewinski, Executive Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict to the US Department of Defense, Defense Legal Policy Board. The resulting subcommittee report—including Center recommendations—can also be downloaded below. Center Testimony, DOD DLPB Subcommittee Report on Military Justice in Conflict Zones ### Notes to editors: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)’s mission is to…
Newshour looks at the rapid expansion in the use of drone technology in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, and asks whether unmanned warfare needs new rules of engagement. Source: BBC World Service – Newshour Special: Drones
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CLAIM they’re ultra-precise killing machines that never, ever miss their targets. Outside groups say they’re covered in children’s blood. The fact is no one has a clue exactly how many militants and how many innocents have been slain in the U.S. drone war that spans from Pakistan to Somalia. Remember that before you…
For weeks, politicians in European capitals and in the U.S. have debated how, and if, they should assist Syrian rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Assad. The mounting civilian toll — more than 23,000 dead and more than a million displaced, according to the U.N. — has led many to argue that inaction is…
The damaging impact of civilian casualties on combat operations is not a new lesson, but it is one that US defense forces have had to continually relearn. Historically, civilian protection and efforts to address harm become priorities only when external pressures demand attention. As the Pentagon reshapes its defenses and fighting force for the next…
Abandoned weapons that were once part of toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s arsenal pose an ongoing and serious threat to civilians in Libya, warned a report published by Harvard University on Thursday. “These weapons may have been abandoned, but their ability to harm civilians remains intact,” said Bonnie Docherty, leader of the research team sent to…
Submitted Testimony of Erica Gaston, Center field researcher in Afghanistan to US Senate Committee on Appropriations on the need for recognition, compensation, and other assistance in Afghanistan. CIVIC Testimony April 2009 Afghan Assistance ### Notes to editors: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)’s mission is to improve protection for civilians caught in conflicts around the world.…
01 April 2009 | Submitted Testimony of Jonathan Tracy, former Center military legal advisor, to US Senate Committee on Appropriations on the history of the Foreign Claims Act and Condolence Payments and ways forward. Jonathan Tracy Testimony, State & Foreign Ops Hearing ### Notes to editors: Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)’s mission is to improve…