POPULARITY
Last month, the Department of Defense released its first-ever policy on civilian harm reduction. But as Marc Garlasco recently wrote in Lawfare, “[T]he policy comes at an awkward time … The U.S. military has issued guidance on how to protect civilians during operations just as its close ally Israel has reportedly killed thousands of Palestinians with American bombs.” And yet, many aspects of the new policy are nothing short of groundbreaking. Lawfare Managing Editor Tyler McBrien sat down with Marc, a former targeting professional and war crimes investigator and current military advisor at PAX, as well as Emily Tripp, the Director of Airwars, a transparency watchdog NGO which tracks, assesses, archives, and investigates civilian harm claims in conflict-affected nations. They discussed the state of civilian harm worldwide; the good, the bad, and the ugly of the Pentagon's new policy; and recent efforts to get U.S. allies and partners to buy in. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
There is a fresh tragedy in the war between Israel and Hamas. IDF troops mistakenly shot and killed three hostages in Gaza City. That news came as Israel kept up its bombardment and defended the use of unguided bombs. Geoff Bennett discussed those weapons with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula and Marc Garlasco, former chief of high value targeting at the Defense Intelligence Agency. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
According to reports from CNN and The Washington Post, the U.S. intelligence community believes that up to 45 percent of the bombs Israel has dropped in Gaza were unguided, a tactic that Israel's military has defended. Geoff Bennett discusses those weapons with retired Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula and Marc Garlasco, former chief of high value targeting at the Defense Intelligence Agency. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit www.blockedandreported.orgThis week on Blocked and Reported, Jesse and Katie discuss how our most trust-worthy disinformation experts correct the record except when they don't. Plus, conservative hero Tim Ballard faces the wrath of the nicest people on Earth. To support the show and get exta content and much more, become a Primo. To buy our very popular merch, shop here.(CORRECTION: In the original version of this episode that Primos heard before it went up for everyone else on Monday morning, I misunderstood some of the evidence suggesting Israel wasn't responsible for the attack on the Gazan hospital. I've now re-recorded that bit with the below corrections, and if you scroll down to the tweet from Marc Garlasco, you'll see my mistake: He was talking about the width of the crater, not its depth. Many thanks to the listener who wrote in to point this out, and I apologize for the error. -JesseCorrected version, with old, false material struck through and new, correct material in bold:~9:56: "And you can see an impact crater which is only about one meter 30 centimeters deep wide or so. And he basically said, and again, this is a guy who is highly qualified on these issues, that this could not have been caused by Israeli weaponry, because that weaponry tends to leave nine-meter-deep wide craters, and there's a big difference between one meter 30 centimeters and nine meters.")NYT: “The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh: Tracing a Bullet to an Israeli Convoy”https://twitter.com/marcgarlasco/status/1714590544620408909https://twitter.com/EmmaVigeland/status/1714336863740104879https://twitter.com/GileadIni/status/1714652254832140636Robby Soave: “Disinformation Reporter Ben Collins Failed To Correct the Gaza Hospital Story”Better NBC News coverage of sameGlenn Kessler: “Human trafficking statistics: Politicians love them though they remain imprecise”Meg Conley: “Called by God: In 2014, I went on a vigilante raid to “save” kids sold for sex. What we did haunts me now.”ViceBlaze News: “What really happened with Tim Ballard and Operation Underground Railroad?”
Air Date 8/2/2023 Today, we take a look at the status of the war in Ukraine and the decision made recently for the US to provide cluster bombs to Ukraine, a munition that Biden's Press Sec. referred to as a potential war crime when it was reported that Russia had used them. Be part of the show! Leave us a message or text at 202-999-3991 or email Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com Transcript BestOfTheLeft.com/Support (Members Get Bonus Clips and Shows + No Ads!) Join our Discord community! SHOW NOTES Ch. 1: Is Russia Headed Towards Collapse - Gaslit Nation - Air Date 6-27-23 Russian mafia expert Olga Lautman joins Andrea to discuss where things are headed in Russia's escalating power struggle, what it means for Ukraine, and how the world needs to start preparing for a post-Putin Russia. Ch. 2: Tim Mak on the Ukrainian Counteroffensive - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-1-23 In this week's conversation, Yascha Mounk and Tim Mak discuss the slow progress of Ukraine's counteroffensive and how a big breakthrough might come about. Ch. 3: NATO, Ukraine, and The American Empire Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-23-23 Daniel Bessner and Derek Davison hosts of the American Prestige Podcast join the program to discuss the problematic origins behind the formation of NATO and its continued role in the world today. Ch. 4: William Arkin CIA Is Playing Outsize Role in Ukraine Despite Biden Pledge Not to Send U.S. Forces - Democracy Now! - Air Date 7-19-23 We're joined on the show by the author of the investigation, William Arkin, a national security reporter and senior editor at Newsweek, who says that the CIA has "got its hand in a little bit of everything" in Ukraine. Ch. 5: Cluster Bomb Fight in the House - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-15-23 Ryan Grim is joined by Erik Sperling to discuss how a bipartisan bill to prevent the Biden administration from sending cluster bombs to Ukraine went from gaining momentum to being undermined by another bill. Ch. 6: The Indiscriminate Rain of Cluster Bombs Part - Intercepted - Air Date 7-18-23 Marc Garlasco joins Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain to discuss how cluster munitions kill civilians during war and long after, and why their use should be considered a war crime. Ch. 7: Cluster Bomb Fight in the House Part 2 - Deconstructed - Air Date 7-15-23 Ch. 8: NATO, Ukraine, and The American Empire Daniel Bessner & Derek Davison Part 2 - The Majority Report - Air Date 7-23-23 MEMBERS-ONLY BONUS CLIP(S) Ch. 9: The Indiscriminate Rain of Cluster Bombs Part 2 - Intercepted - Air Date 7-18-23 Ch. 10: Tim Mak on the Ukrainian Counteroffensive Part 2 - The Good Fight - Air Date 7-1-23 FINAL COMMENTS Ch. 11: Final comments on the coming civic renewal of 2024 MUSIC (Blue Dot Sessions) SHOW IMAGE: Description: Two unexploded cluster bomblets (cylindrical metal canisters) lay on the ground amongst dirt, rocks and leaves. Credit: "Cluster bombs in fig orchard in Yaroun, Lebanon" by Cluster Munition Coalition, Flickr | License: CC BY 2.0 | Changes: Cropped Produced by Jay! Tomlinson Visit us at BestOfTheLeft.com Listen Anywhere! BestOfTheLeft.com/Listen Listen Anywhere! Follow at Twitter.com/BestOfTheLeft Like at Facebook.com/BestOfTheLeft Contact me directly at Jay@BestOfTheLeft.com
The United States sent cluster munitions to Ukraine, bombs banned by 123 countries due to how they kill and maim indiscriminately over a wide area and for years after a conflict. This week on Intercepted, Marc Garlasco — the military adviser at PAX, a Dutch nongovernmental organization where he works to protect civilians in armed conflict, joins Jeremy Scahill and Murtaza Hussain to discuss how cluster munitions kill civilians during war and long after, and why their use — even by the United States — should be considered a war crime.If you'd like to support our work, go to theintercept.com/join — your donation, no matter what the amount, makes a real difference.And if you haven't already, please subscribe to the show so you can hear it every week. And please go and leave us a rating or a review — it helps people find the show. If you want to give us feedback, email us at Podcasts@theintercept.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nick Fuentes knows the ideal age he'd like his future wife to be and, disgustingly, it's sixteen. On this episode of The New Abnormal politics podcast, hosts Andy Levy and Danielle Moodie listen to clips of Republicans and right-wing figures saying stupid things, but this Sunday's clip of Fuentes, a white supremacist and right-wing extremist, takes the cake. Also on this episode: Marc Garlasco, a military advisor at PAX Protection of Civilians and the co-host of The Civilian Protection Podcast, shares a dire prediction for what's to come now that the White House plans to send cluster bombs over to Ukrainian forces. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
President Biden's decision to send cluster munitions to Ukraine in its fight against Russia has sparked concerns from NATO allies and an outcry from human rights activists who say it's a mistake. More than 120 countries have signed a convention banning cluster bombs and U.S. leaders debated the issue for months. Amna Nawaz discussed the development with William Taylor and Marc Garlasco. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders
Civilians are not simply victims of armed conflict, but people with agency and expertise about the conflicts they are living in. In this episode, guest host Bulus Mungopark of CIVIC brings us to northeast Nigeria, where we explore successful community-led efforts to advocate for their own protection needs amid ongoing violence. Guests:Bulus Mungopark, Nigeria Community Engagement Manager, CIVICQueen, Community Protection Committee MemberHabib, Community Protection Committee MemberAlhaji Abba, District HeadThis podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Annie Shiel and Bulus Mungopark with assistance from Erin Bijl, Marc Garlasco, and Hajer Naili.You can find a full transcript of this episode here.To learn more about community-based protection and civilian harm in Nigeria, see:CIVIC, “Barriers and Bridges to Protection: Civil-Military Engagement in Northeast Nigeria,” October 2020. CIVIC, “Civilian Protection Snapshot: Gwoza, Nigeria,” December 2021. CIVIC, “Civilian Protection Snapshot: Monguno, Nigeria,” March 2022.
In this episode, Annie and Marc take us to South Sudan where they interview people about civilian perceptions of local police performance, the challenges people face in seeking effective police assistance, and what may happen when people start looking for alternative sources of protection. Guests:John Malith Mabor, Senior Project Officer, PAXA former community surveyor (anonymous)This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Erin Bijl with assistance from Anton Quist, Hans Rouw, Lauren Spink, Annie Shiel, and Marc Garlasco.You can find a full transcript of this episode here.To learn more about the protection of civilians and police performance in South Sudan, see:PAX website ‘Human Security Survey: South Sudan'.PAX event video ‘Bridging the law enforcement gap in South Sudan', 2021.This episode included a clip from Al Jazeera.
Join The Voices Of War exclusive community by subscribing today. Connect our private feed with your favourite pod-catcher at https://thevoicesofwar.supercast.com/ ---- My guest today is Amos Fox, who is an officer in the US Army with more than 24 years of service in uniform. Amos has written extensively on war and conflict over the past decade, producing over 60 publications. His work focuses on causal mechanisms to explain patterns in armed conflict. Much of Amos' current writing addresses proxy war, land warfare, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and military thinking. He joined me to discuss some of his views on the state of Western military thinking, particularly our potential over-reliance on the concept of manoeuvre warfare. Some of the topics we covered are: Amos' background in the military and path into academia Influences of Amos' first operational deployment in Iraq Understanding the reality on the ground – when intentions clash Defining manoeuvre warfare and its adoption by Western militaries Lack of pragmatism and reality in Western doctrine – what you need to know Why accurate and relevant doctrine matters for success in war Learning from Liddell Hart and his relevance today Debunking the illusion of manoeuvre in modern battles Avoiding misapplication of past terminology in today's warfare Battle of Mosul – Western usage of sieges examined The Precision Paradox – what it means for modern warfare Expanding doctrine to include Sieges, Urban Warfare, Proxy Warfare and re-imagined combined arms/joint warfare Russian invasion of Ukraine – A case in point for modern warfare The importance of questioning preconceived ideas for effective learning During our chat, I made reference to my conversation with Marc Garlasco, Chief of High Value Targeting at the Pentagon between 1997 and 2003 where he led targeting teams during operations Iraqi Freedom, Desert Fox, and Allied Force. You can find that episode here. Additionally, you can find all the articles Amos mentioned at the links below: "Moving Beyond Mechanical Metaphors: Debunking the Applicability of Centers of Gravity in 21st Century Warfare," The Strategy Bridge, https://thestrategybridge.org/the-bridge/2017/6/2/moving-beyond-mechanical-metaphors-debunking-the-applicability-of-centers-of-gravity-in-21st-century-warfare. "Ukraine and Proxy War: Improving Ontological Shortcomings in Military Thinking," Association of the United States Army, Land Warfare Paper 148, https://www.ausa.org/sites/default/files/publications/LWP-148-Ukraine-and-Proxy-War-Improving-Ontological-Shortcomings-in-Military-Thinking.pdf "Maneuver is Dead? Understanding the Conditions and Components of Warfighting," RUSI Journal, https://doi.org/10.1080/03071847.2022.2058601. "On Sieges," RUSI Journal, https://doi.org/10.1080/03071847.2021.1924077. "The Reemergence of the Siege: An Assessment of Trends in Modern Land Warfare," Institute of Land Warfare, Land Power Essay 18-2, https://www.ausa.org/sites/default/files/LPE-18-2-The-Reemergence-of-the-Siege-An-Assessment-of-Trends-in-Modern-Land-Warfare.pdf. "Sieges in Modern War," Presentation delivered at Harvard Law School, 31 March-1 April 2021, http://dx.doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.31870.25929. Lastly, Amos has extended an invite to anyone who may with to take this conversation further to email him on amos.c.fox@gmail.com.
In S2E2 (or episode #8), we explored the impact of conflict on the natural environment, and in turn, on civilian lives, in Ukraine. In this episode, we bring you to Iraq and Yemen to explore the reverse: how climate change can serve as a driver of conflict, and in turn, affect civilians. Guests:Dina El-Mamoun, Yemen Country Director, CIVICAli Al-Assaf, Iraq Country Director, CIVICThis podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Annie Shiel with assistance from Erin Bijl, Marc Garlasco, Tate Musinahama, and Hajer Naili. You can find a full transcript of this episode here.To learn more about effect of climate change on conflict and civilian life in Iraq, Yemen, and beyond, see:CIVIC report “‘If I Leave.. I Cannot Breathe': Climate Change and Civilian Protection in Iraq”CIVIC report “Risking the Future: Climate Change, Environmental Destruction, and Conflict in Yemen”
The bombing of towns and cities, or the use of explosive weapons in populated areas, leads to vast civilian harm, destruction of civilian infrastructure, and long-term humanitarian consequences. In this episode, we take you behind the scenes of the signing of a landmark political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA), signed by over 80 nations in Dublin last month.Guests:Hajer Naili, Director of Communications, CIVIC Sahr Muhammedally, Director for MENA & South Asia, CIVICRoos Boer, Project Lead Humanitarian Disarmament, PAX This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Annie Shiel and Hajer Naili, with assistance from Marc Garlasco, Tate Musinahama and Selma van Oostwaard.To learn more about explosive weapons in populated areas and the EWIPA Declaration, see:The website of the International Network on Explosive Weapons (INEW)Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, PAXCIVIC's EWIPA ExplainerPAX report on the Impact on healthcare from bombing and shelling in Ukraine CIVIC's Implementation Brief: Political Declaration on the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated AreasMwatana & PAX report Continuing civilian harm from the use of explosive weapons in YemenThis episode includes live recordings of the November 2022 Dublin Conference to Adopt the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas.You can find a full transcript of this episode here.
Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the human toll of the war has been devastating. But obscured by news about fatalities, injuries and material damages is the longer-term impact of this conflict. In this episode, we'll explore the environmental degradation caused by military operations in Ukraine and its consequences for civilians, and discuss why protecting the environment is an essential part of protecting civilians. Guests:Yevheniia Zasiadko (Head of Climate Department, Ecoaction)Iryna Nikolaieva (Environment Expert and Researcher, PAX)Erin Bijl (Senior Project Officer ‘Protection of Civilians', PAX)This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Erin Bijl with assistance from Annie Shiel, Marc Garlasco, Tate Musinahama, Selma van Oostwaard and Brittany Roser.This episode included a clip from BBC News. We further referred to data by OHCHR, an article on Earth.org and we quoted from the UN website for 6 November. To learn more about the impact of military operations on the environment and subsequent civilian harm, see:Interactive Map of the potential environmental impacts caused by Russian aggression in Ukraine, Ecoaction websiteConflict & Environment, PAX websitePAX Briefing Note to the United Nations Security Council on harm to the environment from military operations in UkraineFull interviews with Yevheniia Zasiadko (Ecoaction) and with Iryna Nikolaieva will soon be posted on the CIVIC and PAX website.
On April 22, 2018, planes belonging to the Saudi- and Emirati-led Coalition dropped a bomb on a wedding celebration in Al-Raqa village, in Yemen. The attack killed 21 civilians, including eleven children, and injured 97 people. And it did so using a bomb that was made and sold in the United States. In this episode, we explore the US arms trade system and policies that made this, and so many incidents like it, possible. Guests: Ali Jameel (Accountability and Redress Director, Mwatana for Human Rights)Tony Wilson (Founder & Director, Security Force Monitor at Columbia Law School Human Rights Institute)Joyce Sohyun Lee (Visual Forensics Video Reporter, The Washington Post)This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Annie Shiel with assistance from Marc Garlasco, Tate Musinahama, Ari Tolany, John Ramming Chappell, Selma van Oostwaard, Erin Bijl, and Frank Slijper.This episode included a clip from Al Jazeera. To learn more about arms sales and civilian harm, see: Day of Judgment, a report from Mwatana for Human Rights, PAX, and University Network for Human Rights on the role of the US and Europe in civilian death, destruction, and trauma in Yemen.A Washington Post piece outlining the findings of their joint investigation with Security Force Monitor into US support for the Saudi- and Emirati-led Coalition in Yemen; the Security Force Monitor methodology; and additional analysis from the Monitor.With Great Power, a report by CIVIC and the Stimson Center on civilian harm risks in US arms transfers. Bonus materials:Full interview with Ali Jameel (Mwatana for Human Rights) and with Joyce Soyhun Lee (The Washington Post) and Tony Wilson (Security Force Monitor) will soon be posted on the CIVIC and PAX website.
On August 25, the Defense Department released its long-awaited Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan, something that human rights advocates have called on the Pentagon to do for the past 20 years. To discuss it, former Lawfare associate editor Tia Sewell sat down with Todd Huntley, a former JAG and current director of the National Security Law Program at Georgetown University Law Center, as well as Marc Garlasco, a former targeting professional and war crimes investigator who consulted on the plan. They talked about Todd's and Marc's respective Lawfare articles on the topic and how this new action plan improves the Pentagon's handling of civilian harm in war or not.Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.
On 25 Aug 2022, the US Department of Defense released its Civilian Harm and Mitigation Response Plan, which has been created, in part as a result of the public scrutiny on civilian casualty incidents following the Iraq campaign. In this episode, Dr Lauren Sanders speaks with Marc Garlasco, who has been intimately involved with this issue, having been engaged in stakeholder engagement with the US DoD during their development of this plan when it was announced on 27 Jan 2022. Marc has a long history of observing and reporting on civilian casualty incidents, using his understanding of the process garnered from his time as a a US intelligence analyst. He has served with HRW, as a senior civilian protection officer for United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA); and as the U.N. senior military advisor for the Human Rights Council's (HRC) Independent Commission of Inquiry on Libya, where he investigated civilian casualties while leading a survey of NATO's activities in Libya. He has worked with CNA on civilian harm mitigation, and co-hosts his own podcast, Civilian Protection with CIVIC.He has been engaged in this Action Plan through his work with the NGO PAX since 2021 and will be talking to us today about the history of this Action Plan and his views on what it might do to address the causal issues identified across the numerous projects that have been analysing the contributing factors that result in civilian casualties.Edited by Rosie Cavdarski.Additional ResourcesMarco Garlasco, ‘Defense Department Finally Prioritizes Civilians in Conflict,' Lawfare Blog (29 August 2022) Dan E. Stigall, Anna Williams, ‘An Improved Approach to Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response' Articles of War Blog (Lieber Institute, Westpoint) (25 August 2022) RAND, U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Casualty Policies and Procedures An Independent Assessment (2022) See CivIC's Report ‘In Search of Answers: U.S. Military Investigations and Civilian Harm' (2020) and other publications on their website.Listen to 'The Civilian Protection Podcast' - PAXApplying the DoD Policy on Civilian Harm to Protection of Civilians in Large-Scale Combat Operations (LSCO) , NGO Recommendations for DoD Policy on Civilian Harm - InterAction
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since that day, thousands of civilians have been killed or injured and over ten million people have been internally displaced or fled Ukraine as refugees. In this episode, our CIVIC colleagues in Ukraine share their experiences living through the war, the dangers facing civilians, and what must be done to protect them.Thank you for tuning in to Season 1 of the Civilian Protection Podcast. Please help us by filling out a quick listener survey so we can learn more about our audience and what you want to hear from us as we work on Season 2: https://forms.gle/LyrrM8UNR5s9kRK99.Guests and co-hosts: Beatrice Godefroy (Europe Program Director, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC))Oksana and Liza (members of the CIVIC Ukraine team)Annie Shiel (US Policy & Advocacy Senior Advisor, CIVIC)Marc Garlasco (Military Advisor Protection of Civilians, PAX)This episode included audio clips from The Independent and MSNBC.This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Annie Shiel, Beatrice Godefroy, and CIVIC's Ukraine Team, with assistance from Marc Garlasco, Monica Zuraw, Ari Tolany, and Selma van Oostwaard.
In June 2015, Dutch F-16s carried out an airstrike on an ISIS ammunition factory in the Iraqi town of Hawija, causing considerable harm beyond what was anticipated. In this episode, Mohammed Abdulkareem Khthar, Head of Programs at Iraqi NGO Al-Ghad, and Dutch journalist Judit Neurink explain the impact of the airstrike on the people in Hawija, both in the immediate aftermath of the strike and in the years that followed, and why they think it's time for acknowledgement from the Dutch government.Guests:Mohammed Abdulkareem Khthar (Head of Programs, Al-Ghad) Dutch journalist Judit Neurink Co-hosts: Saba Azeem (Project Lead Human Security Survey Iraq, PAX)Marc Garlasco (Military Advisor Protection of Civilians, PAX)Annie Shiel (US Policy & Advocacy Senior Advisor, Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC))This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Marc Garlasco, Erin Bijl, and Saba Azeem, with assistance from Annie Shiel, Monica Zuraw, Ari Tolany, and Selma van Oostwaard.
My guest today is Marc Garlasco, who began his career as the Chief of High Value Targeting at the Pentagon between 1997 and 2003 where he led targeting teams during operations Iraqi Freedom, Desert Fox, and Allied Force. Marc later worked in senior roles at Human Rights Watch, the United Nations, and the Centre for Naval Analyses. Throughout his time, he has worked in Afghanistan, Gaza, Georgia, Iraq, Israel, Kosovo, Lebanon, Libya, and other conflict zones. He is a co-author of the ICRC report on Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas, and a co-host of the excellent The Civilian Protection Podcast that tells the story of those harmed by war, but whose voices are rarely heard. Marc is currently the military advisor at PAX, the largest peace organisation in the Netherlands and works to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence and to build inclusive peace. Some of the topics we covered are: Marc's journey into targeting Developing a picture of Iraq 9/11 and (absence of) link to Iraq Deliberate vs dynamic targeting The failed targeting of Saddam Why targeting fails Incentives vs intelligence Impact of ‘humane' war How a Collateral Damage Estimate (CDE) is conducted Reconciling the fact that not all lives are worth the same Use of drones and accuracy of battle damage estimates Changing policy to reduce civilian harm Building bridges between NGOs and the military Impact of our wars on soldiers fighting them Marc and I discussed The Civilian Protection Podcast, of which he is a co-host. You can access all episodes of this excellent project here. Marc also mentioned the upcoming release of a US Department of Defence Memorandum, to be signed by the Secretary of Defence, that will direct the development of a comprehensive plan to mitigate and respond to civilian harm. That memo has now been released and is worth reading. You can find it here. ----- If you like what you hear, please consider liking and reviewing the show wherever you get your pods. You can also support the show on our Patreon and Buy Me A Coffee page on the links below: Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thevoicesofwar Buy Me A Coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/thevoicesofwar
In August 2021, U.S. and international forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. In this episode, we sit down with Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, to explore the legacy of civilian harm left behind and what it means for Afghan civilians moving forward.Guest: Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights CommissionThis episode included clips from Al Jazeera, BBC, CBS, CNBC, Today and Pentagon via ABC News. This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Marc Garlasco and Annie Shiel with assistance from Monica Zuraw, Ari Tolany, Erin Bell, andSelma van Oostwaard.
A people-centered approach to UN Peacekeeping makes sense as a concept-- listen and learn from the communities you are mandated to protect -- but how is it actually implemented in practice? Speaking with experts from the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and United Nations Headquarters, this episode explores the need for applying a people-centered approach in peacekeeping contexts and the complexities of effectively implementing this approach.Guests: Kessy Ekomo-Soignet (Founder and Executive Director of youth-led NGO URU and General Director at Peace Development Watch)Marco Donati (Civil Affairs Team Leader, UN Department of Peace Operations)Geoffrey L. Duke (Director, South Sudan Action Network on Small Arms (SSANSA)) This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Marc Garlasco, Annie Shiel, Selma van Oostwaard, Hans Row, Monica Zuraw, and Ari Tolany.
In Somalia, a family sits down to eat. Before dinner is over, their lives have been irreversibly changed. A U.S. airstrike had hit their home. Unfortunately, this is not an unfamiliar scene for civilians living in conflict-affected areas. Speaking with experts from Somalia and Yemen, this episode explores what happens after harm, and the challenges civilians face trying to get answers, recognition, and amends.Guests: Bonyan Gamal (Accountability and Redress Officer, Mwatana for Human Rights) Abdullahi Hassan (Researcher, Amnesty International)This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Marc Garlasco and Annie Shiel with assistance from Monica Zuraw, Dan Mahanty, Erin Bell, Selma van Oostwaard, and Clark Orr.
In 2014, ISIS, also known as Daesh, seized the city of Mosul, Iraq, and a battle involving ISIS, American-led coalition forces, and national Iraqi forces ensued. It was then that Iraqi historian Omar Mohammed began to document cases of civilian harm on his anonymous blog, Mosul Eye, risking his life to ensure history would remember their names.Guest: Omar Mohammed (Mosul Eye)This podcast is brought to you by CIVIC and PAX. This episode was written by Marc Garlasco and Annie Shiel with assistance from Monica Zuraw, Dan Mahanty, Erin Bell, and Selma van Oostwaard. You can access the full interview with Omar Mohammed (Mosul Eye) under bonus materials on www.protectionsofcivilians.org and www.civiliansinconflict.org.This episode included clips from Al Jazeera, BBC.
Hosts Annie Shiel, Senior Advisor for US Policy and Advocacy at CIVIC, and Marc Garlasco, Military Advisor at PAX, introduce the Civilian Protection Podcast. This podcast, brought to you by CIVIC and PAX, shares the voices of people affected by war, the dangers they face, the choices they make, and what can be done to better protect them — because we believe it's time to put them at the center of the discussion.