The Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) and the Permanent Missions of Belgium, Indonesia, and Switzerland to the United Nations convened the POC20 Policy Dialogue on July 9 and 10 in New York. The POC20 Policy Dialogue brought together experts, thought leaders, and key stakeholders from a diverse group of Member States, intergovernmental organizations, the…
On August 21, President Trump took the stage at Fort Myer, Virginia to announce his long-awaited plan for the future of US engagement in Afghanistan. After spending the first few minutes of his 26 minute speech building up American unity and patriotism in an attempt to pivot from his disappointing and disheartening rhetoric post-Charlottesville, the…
The debate over the increase in civilian casualties caused by the U.S.-led coalition in the campaign against ISIS grows more contentious by the day, even as the tempo of operations has slowed following the fight for Mosul.
The Trump administration’s rhetoric, before and after the election, raises questions about its commitment to protecting civilians and if its more aggressive strategy to “annihilate” ISIS has directly led to more civilian casualties.
Civilians stay in war zones for all sorts of reasons: They may lack the resources to leave, or have no other place to go. They may be unwilling to leave vulnerable family members, may not want to leave their homes, or — most likely — they are not allowed to leave. There are 3,000 to 4,000 fighters in Raqqa, compared to 400,000 civilians.
On Aug. 6, following an order by a federal judge in a suit brought by the ACLU, President Obama finally released his “playbook” for the use of lethal force against terrorist targets. The guidance—more specifically, the “procedures for approving direct action against terrorist targets located outside the United States and areas of active hostilities”—is…
On December 3-4 2015, the European University Institute and the Global Policy Initiative of Columbia University convened a workshop of around thirty scholars, practitioners, and high-level UN officials to discuss “Protection, Peacekeeping, and the Individualization of War.” CIVIC was invited to share its experiences and perspectives on the “Micro-level Dilemmas of Protection in Peacekeeping.”
By Federico Borello and Christina Asquith U.S. President Barack Obama’s apology for the horrific U.S. airstrikes in Kunduz, Afghanistan was an important and necessary response to the global outrage sparked after the U.S. military bombed a Medecins Sans Frontieres hospital October 3, killing 22 Afghans including doctors and nurses. Whatever really happened in Kunduz, a city…
The president’s pick for CIA director — John Brennan — is one of a handful of U.S. officials who understands America’s covert drone campaign inside and out. Nearly everyone else is in the dark about the whos, wheres and whys of the program, including most members of Congress. But Brennan is also one of the…