Once Again, We’re Killing Civilians and Creating More Insurgents than We Eliminate
By Daniela C. Ferchmin
Editor, WinTheGWOT.org
Originally published in the May 13th edition of the Indianapolis Star.
The AP reports that 21 civilians—including women and children—were killed when US and Afghan troops called in an airstrike against insurgents hiding in various homes. The coalition forces had been fighting the insurgents and knew precisely where they were, and it is highly probably that they knew there were likely civilians in jeopardy. Although the AP report does list other incidents of significant civilian casualties and quotes Afghan political leaders expressing their frustration with such incidents, the report appears to rationalize the problem.
“Death tolls in remote battle sites in Afghanistan are impossible to verify. Taliban fighters often seek shelter in Afghan homes, leading to civilian casualties, and it is often difficult to determine if people killed in such airstrikes were militants or civilians.”
The tragedy of accidental civilian deaths and injury is obvious to most people, but what the AP report fails to mention is that for every civilian killed, injured, or whose property is destroyed there are likely a number of insurgent sympathizers created. All the enemy needs to survive is a populace that doesn’t actively support the counterinsurgent forces, and that is the environment we create every time we kill or injure civilians.
Counterinsurgency is not a war of firepower and attrition. It is predominantly an effort to wrest popular support away from the insurgents and its success relies upon the provision of safety and security to local residents. It is more like large scale policing, and like policing, the military forces involved do not have carte blanche to apply unrestricted or excessive force. In fact, the most basic tenet of a society’s sense of security comes from whether or not it fears its own police and internal security forces. We will never win popular support away from the insurgents if we are not cautious in our application of force in the presence of civilians.
During high speed pursuits in the United States, police officers are expected to break off the chase when the risk to bystanders is significant. Given that indiscriminant or excessive force in an insurgent war also greatly strengthens the enemy, our forces should know when to disengage. Airstrikes are inappropriate much more often than not whenever civilians are present.
Editor, WinTheGWOT.org
Originally published in the May 13th edition of the Indianapolis Star.
The AP reports that 21 civilians—including women and children—were killed when US and Afghan troops called in an airstrike against insurgents hiding in various homes. The coalition forces had been fighting the insurgents and knew precisely where they were, and it is highly probably that they knew there were likely civilians in jeopardy. Although the AP report does list other incidents of significant civilian casualties and quotes Afghan political leaders expressing their frustration with such incidents, the report appears to rationalize the problem.
“Death tolls in remote battle sites in Afghanistan are impossible to verify. Taliban fighters often seek shelter in Afghan homes, leading to civilian casualties, and it is often difficult to determine if people killed in such airstrikes were militants or civilians.”
The tragedy of accidental civilian deaths and injury is obvious to most people, but what the AP report fails to mention is that for every civilian killed, injured, or whose property is destroyed there are likely a number of insurgent sympathizers created. All the enemy needs to survive is a populace that doesn’t actively support the counterinsurgent forces, and that is the environment we create every time we kill or injure civilians.
Counterinsurgency is not a war of firepower and attrition. It is predominantly an effort to wrest popular support away from the insurgents and its success relies upon the provision of safety and security to local residents. It is more like large scale policing, and like policing, the military forces involved do not have carte blanche to apply unrestricted or excessive force. In fact, the most basic tenet of a society’s sense of security comes from whether or not it fears its own police and internal security forces. We will never win popular support away from the insurgents if we are not cautious in our application of force in the presence of civilians.
During high speed pursuits in the United States, police officers are expected to break off the chase when the risk to bystanders is significant. Given that indiscriminant or excessive force in an insurgent war also greatly strengthens the enemy, our forces should know when to disengage. Airstrikes are inappropriate much more often than not whenever civilians are present.
2 Comments:
If you think it is only occasional or accidental civilian casualties, read David Sanger and Carlotta Gall's in depth article from the May 12th New York Times.
http://www.winthegwot.org/Civilian_Deaths_Undermine_War.pdf
Cool blog, i just randomly surfed in, but it sure was worth my time, will be back
Deep Regards from the other side of the Moon
Biby Cletus
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