Lawmakers advocate DoD civilian harm accountability

A group of lawmakers recently forwarded correspondence to U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) Secretary Lloyd J. Austin, III, encouraging the agency to bolster efforts to address civilian harm.

U.S. Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) joined colleagues U.S. Sens. Patrick Leahy (D-VT), Richard J. Durbin (D-IL), Jeffrey A. Merkley (D-OR), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in signing the letter.

Austin released a Jan. 27, 2022, directive instructing the military to strengthen efforts to prevent civilian deaths.

“We appreciate your stated commitment to address the harm caused by counterterrorism operations and welcome this long-overdue step,” the legislators wrote. “However, we remain concerned that 20 years of Pentagon pledges to hold itself accountable and correct fundamental flaws that lead to preventable civilian harm have gone unfulfilled. We, therefore, urge the Department of Defense to consider certain issues in its ongoing efforts to address systemic weaknesses
in its response to instances of civilian harm.”

The lawmakers maintain that civilian deaths, injuries, and other harm caused by military operations risk the nation’s legitimacy overseas and fuel extremism while providing other governments with an excuse to overlook the harm caused and not align with the nation’s embracing of universal values.

“We welcome your commitment to addressing civilian harm caused by U.S. military operations,” the legislators concluded. “It is imperative that United States Armed Forces uphold the highest standards of conduct, including consistent standards for protecting the lives of civilians and requiring accountability when harm does occur. We request to be briefed following the completion of your 90-day review.”