Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #CIVCAS
Most recents (8)
The @DeptofDefense just released their annual 1057 report on #CIVCAS, admitting to killing 12 civilians and injuring 5 during operations in 2021. After a quick, admittedly cursory read here are my thoughts 1/ media.defense.gov/2022/Sep/27/20…
The report leans heavily on the CHMRAP at times noting that there are extra steps that will be taken based on that plan in the future that may not have been available for this report. 2/
There are 12 civilian deaths and 5 injuries reported. Hoping @airwars will check the DoD numbers against their database but they reported VERY LOW numbers for Baghuz when compared to open source reporting. 3/
With so much analysis of the CHMR-AP circulating since its release (of varying quality), below is a curated thread to highlight the best resources for those interested in research related to armed conflict, #CIVCAS, and #NationalSecurity.
A #CHMRAP research 🧵(1/14):
A #CHMRAP research 🧵(1/14):
The best resource is the real source. The full action plan (#chmrap) is linked here (2/14):
defense.gov/News/Releases/…
media.defense.gov/2022/Aug/25/20…
Read carefully!
defense.gov/News/Releases/…
media.defense.gov/2022/Aug/25/20…
Read carefully!
The initial memorandum that launched the CHMR-AP effort, dated January 27, 2022, is linked here (3/14):
defense.gov/News/Releases/…
defense.gov/News/Releases/…
Thoughts on the #Dronestrike in #Kabul that killed an #Afghan family. For background I was the Chief of High Value Targeting on the Joint Staff 2002-03, led UN war crimes investigations in #Afghanistan in 2011, and in 2015 assisted in a study of airstrikes while deployed on the
USS Theodore Roosevelt while working for @CNA_org. There are two types of airstrikes - deliberate and dynamic. Deliberate are planned long in advance, have numerous checks, use a pattern of life analysis, and have a relatively low incident of civilian casualties. Dynamic strikes,
such as Time Sensitive Targeting, are when the attacker has a small window of opportunity to engage a mobile target that is of high value. In a TST there is rarely time for a pattern of life analysis, structured collateral damage estimate, and all the checks normally conducted.
This video raises profound and disturbing questions
about the decision to take the strike
about the Pentagon’s post-strike assessment and hyper-confident public assurances
about how many other strikes were like this one in the past
1/2
about the decision to take the strike
about the Pentagon’s post-strike assessment and hyper-confident public assurances
about how many other strikes were like this one in the past
1/2
Coinciding with the NYT video investigation is the Washington Post’s investigation reaching very similar conclusions.👇
(via @AlexHortonTX @SarahCahlan @DDaltonBennett @joyceslee)
2/2 #civcas
washingtonpost.com/investigations…
(via @AlexHortonTX @SarahCahlan @DDaltonBennett @joyceslee)
2/2 #civcas
washingtonpost.com/investigations…
Addendum
Good of the reporters to juxtapose their findings with General Milley’s public assurances after the strike.
Here’s video clip of his remarks about what he called a “righteous strike.”
Good of the reporters to juxtapose their findings with General Milley’s public assurances after the strike.
Here’s video clip of his remarks about what he called a “righteous strike.”
In letter to @SecDef, @SenWarren and @RepRoKhanna ask for review of civilian casualties from U.S. operations.
Letter raises key issue: DoD's standard for assessing #CivCas is artificially high, and DoD report "appears to DEFY the congressional requirement" to use lower standard.
Letter raises key issue: DoD's standard for assessing #CivCas is artificially high, and DoD report "appears to DEFY the congressional requirement" to use lower standard.
2. I wrote about the wrong-headedness of the Pentagon's standard for assessing civilian casualties in this @nytopinion piece in April 2018.
nytimes.com/2018/04/26/opi…
nytimes.com/2018/04/26/opi…
3. In June 2021, @annieshiel (@CivCenter) and @chrisjwoods (@airwars) wrote again about the DoD standard and how its use in reporting to Congress appears to (a) defy Congress' statutory requirements and (b) potentially vastly undercount civilian deaths.
justsecurity.org/76788/a-legacy…
justsecurity.org/76788/a-legacy…
With the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act having been passed (& now sitting on President Trump's desk for signature or veto), thought I'd put together a THREAD on what it says about #Afghanistan. 1/n
SEC. 1212. EXTENSION OF THE AFGHAN SPECIAL IMMIGRANT VISA PROGRAM.
Extends the program through through 2022 (and appears to expand the number allowed by 120 slots). 2/n
Extends the program through through 2022 (and appears to expand the number allowed by 120 slots). 2/n
What is so valuable that it’s worth killing and dying for? (A thread)
In war, we have to measure human costs & compare it to the cost of doing nothing. This is hard work.
Recent work by @Amnesty/@Airwars/@danmahanty/@annieshiel helps to show us why. (1/13)
In war, we have to measure human costs & compare it to the cost of doing nothing. This is hard work.
Recent work by @Amnesty/@Airwars/@danmahanty/@annieshiel helps to show us why. (1/13)
@Amnesty/@Airwars recently released a report on civilian casualties (#CIVCAS) in the fight for #Raqqa in which they claim that the coalition (@CJTFOIR) killed 1600 civilians (compared to the coalition claim of only 159) from June-Oct 2017. (2/13)
raqqa.amnesty.org
raqqa.amnesty.org
They go so far as to assert: “The Coalition launched strikes likely to cause excessive harm to civilians and failed to distinguish between military targets and civilians. … Disproportionate or indiscriminate attacks are war crimes.”
Is this right? (3/13)
Is this right? (3/13)
Today we launch “Rhetoric versus Reality” concluding nearly two years of on
the ground and data led investigation into civilian deaths in Raqqa, #Syria. Explore it here:
raqqa.amnesty.org
the ground and data led investigation into civilian deaths in Raqqa, #Syria. Explore it here:
raqqa.amnesty.org
In a new interactive website, @amnesty and @airwars reveal findings of an indepth investigation detailing the destruction of Raqqa, #Syria. Explore the stories of the families who lived and died in
the war: raqqa.amnesty.org
the war: raqqa.amnesty.org
The “most precise air campaign in history” left #Raqqa the most destroyed city in modern times. @CJTFOIR stop with the rhetoric, time for a reality check. 1,600 #civcas and 80% of the city destroyed. @CJTFOIR must investigate now:
raqqa.amnesty.org
raqqa.amnesty.org
