Response to Pentagon Plan to Mitigate and Respond to Civilian Harm Resulting from Military Operations

August 25, 2022

RAND Corporation researchers Michael McNerney and Gabrielle Tarini are available to discuss today's announcement by the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) about mitigating and responding to civilian harm resulting from U.S. military operations. The Pentagon said it would implement several recommendations made in RAND research reports, “U.S. Department of Defense Civilian Casualty Policies and Procedures: An Independent Assessment” and “Understanding Civilian Harm in Raqqa and Its Implications for Future Conflicts,” published earlier this year.

“We are encouraged that several recommendations from RAND and other external stakeholders will be adopted by the DoD and expect the changes will enable the U.S. military, its allies, and partners to better protect civilians worldwide,” said Michael McNerney and Gabrielle Tarini, coauthors of the RAND reports. “Successful implementation of this ambitious plan will require sustained leadership oversight at senior levels, but this action plan helps set the stage for significant improvements in DoD's future performance.”