Gaza and NATO’s Guidelines on Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan

The Rules 41 Nations Are Supposed to Abide By

“Militants deliberately target innocent civilians and it is they who must be held responsible. Militants deliberately force civilians into situations where they are either killed or are at risk of being harmed. Militants’ tactics are to launch attacks from civilian areas, retreat to civilian areas and use civilians as human shields.”

The above quote is not from the Israel Defense Forces’ spokesman’s office in the aftermath of the Gaza operation. It appears in an unclassified NATO document drafted in October 2008, available on the Internet. It is fascinating reading, and indicates that NATO’s International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) has to deal with the same kind of problems Israel faced in Gaza. But in the case of Afghanistan, various members of the media and the NGO community do not work in tandem with the Taliban to demonize NATO and ISAF. [Pictured: ISAF soldiers on the left; IDF soldiers right]

Entitled, “NATO in Afghanistan – Master Narrative,“ the document was prepared for spokesmen “who play a part in explaining the situation in Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force.” That force consists of some 56,000 soldiers from 41 nations.

Here are excerpts from the NATO/ISAF document:

* Militants deliberately target innocent civilians with suicide attacks and IEDs (improvised explosive devices).

* Militants forcefully oppose efforts to improve the life of the Afghan people and it is they who must be held responsible for bringing violence to the Afghan people.

* Militants deliberately force civilians into situations where they are either killed or are at risk of being harmed by NATO/ISAF or coalition forces in order to undermine support for NATO/ISAF in Afghanistan and in the International Community.

* Militants’ tactics are to launch attacks from civilian areas, retreat to civilian areas and use civilians as human shields.

* Militants want civilians caught up in the fighting, because they think this will undermine support for NATO/ISAF in Afghanistan and in the international community and weaken the legitimate Afghan government.

* Civilian deaths caused by militants have escalated significantly, reflecting their increasing use of indiscriminate tactics such as suicide bombs and IEDs.

* ISAF Troop Contributing Nations make every effort to minimize the risk of any damage, injury or loss of life to civilians in the course of their operations in Afghanistan. However, ISAF reserves the right to protect its own personnel.

1. Airpower in Afghanistan is used:

- in support of ground forces, with specific need and in specific situations
on positively identified enemy firing positions

- upon request and approval by the ground commander.

2. Airpower is vital to the defence of Afghanistan because:

- it provides speed, maneuverability and range
- the terrain impedes maneuver of troops and supplies
- the remoteness of locations hampers the use of ground forces
- it provides the most precise power projection available.

3. Airpower is employed by ISAF under the strictest possible restrictions—if there is any reason to believe there are civilians present a strike will not occur.

Some Perspective Is Needed

In August 2008, an American C-130 gunship attacked a site in Azizabad believed to be the hideout of a Taliban leader and his men. The Pentagon announced that five civilians were killed, but subsequently, "an investigation by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) found that some 90 civilians, including 60 children, were among those killed during military operations in the strife-torn nation’s western Herat province.”

In July 2008, an air strike on a wedding party in Afghanistan left 47 dead including 30 children, according to the UN. In November 2008, an air strike in Kandahar Province killed some 35 civilians and injured a further 37. Some 2,100 civilians were killed last year, many at the hands of the Taliban and others because of errant bombs.

War is hell wherever it takes place, and innocent civilians are tragically killed. The “good guys” make the utmost effort to minimize the suffering of innocents.

Israel already demands of its army the highest standards to protect civilians in enemy territory. How well do the 41 nations in the Afghanistan force stand up to their standards? At the very least they should understand what Israel faced – and may face again -- in Gaza.

Sphere: Related Content