New Pentagon Guidance Aims to Protect Civilians in Conflict Amid International Uproar
Amid international criticism over Israel’s use of U.S.-provided weapons to bombard Gaza, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has rolled out new guidance aimed at protecting civilians in conflict zones. However, the timing and details of the guidance have sparked mixed reactions.
The new requirements were announced via press release on the Thursday before Christmas, drawing attention as pressure mounts on President Joe Biden to scale back military aid to Israel. The timing has brought scrutiny as the international community grapples with Israel’s actions in Gaza.
Marc Garlasco, a former Pentagon official and military adviser at PAX Protection of Civilians, a Dutch NGO, pointed out the contradiction, saying, “The U.S. DOD is placing new requirements on how American forces are to protect civilians in conflict just as Israel has killed 20,000 civilians in Gaza with American bombs.”
Despite the timing, representatives from humanitarian organizations have praised Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin for making the initiative a personal priority. They believe the overhaul will result in real change and pave the way for DOD to consider civilian risk during operational planning and better respond to incidents when civilian harm occurs.
The move to overhaul the guidance was initially announced in the fall of 2022, following criticism of the Pentagon’s failure to prevent civilian deaths in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan. The New York Times revealed a covered-up 2019 strike in Syria that killed dozens of women and children, as well as a botched American drone strike in Kabul.
Garlasco applauded the new policy, saying, “The policy is a welcome leap forward by the U.S. military in how it conducts military operations,” and added that it “will save civilian lives while creating better operational outcomes for the US military.”
Notably, the guidance requires the DOD to include outside information, including from the press and non-governmental organizations, during operational planning and investigations, marking a departure from the reliance on internal intelligence.
Furthermore, the Pentagon is now tasked with developing and fielding weapons to reduce civilian harm, with a focus on emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and augmented reality, according to Dan Stigall, DOD’s director for civilian harm mitigation and response policy.
While the new guidance addresses the issue of providing U.S. allies with security assistance, specifics are lacking. Annie Shiel, the U.S. advocacy director for the Center for Civilians in Conflict, emphasized the importance of the policy’s implementation, saying, “The real measure of its success will be in implementation, and how or whether it delivers results for civilians.”
The new guidance represents a step forward in addressing civilian harm in conflict zones, but its impact will ultimately be measured by its implementation and the tangible results it produces for civilians affected by military operations.