The deployment of troops is always a complex undertaking that involves addressing numerous factors, and one of the most important of them is the relationship with the civilians. Due to the fact that combat activities and military presence lead to civilian casualties, the problem arises of how they can be avoided or at least significantly mitigated. The current briefing aims to list, analyze, and recommend the possible courses of action for mitigating civilian causalities in densely populated areas. The current briefing is unclassified and can be distributed without any limitations and released to the public. The type of briefing in question is the special decision one since it contains information on the possible courses of action concerning civilian casualties. Specifically, the current briefing concerns the problem of minimizing civilian casualties in situations with the presence of military targets in close proximity to civilians. The results of the research conducted as part of the briefing demonstrate that the recommended course of action to mitigate civilian casualties is the use of precise weapons such as sniper rifles.
Densely populated areas present a considerable challenge to the military, yet there can be several effective courses of action that personnel can use to reduce the impact on civilians. The basic rationale behind the course of action must be the maximization of the successful completion of the mission while minimizing the possibility of civilian casualties. Because the current briefing concerns courses of action in crowded areas, it is necessary to analyze the options which provide more control by default.
One of the possible solutions for the reduction of civilian casualties in situations implying the presence of military targets in densely-populated areas is the use of nonlethal capabilities. It is a fact that the deployment of nonlethal weapons can entail significant trauma but rarely leads to death (“Protection,” 2015). As a result, nonlethal capabilities can help troops to prevent the civilian population from interfering in the mission. One of the possible nonlethal capabilities is rubber bullets which can signal the civilian population to vacate a certain area where the mission is taking place. Thus, the primary advantage of nonlethal capabilities is the relatively high degree of avoiding casualties. At the same time, the disadvantages of nonlethal capabilities include the possibility of traumatizing civilians and creating a disorder that can hinder the successful execution of the mission, letting the target escape. Moreover, since the use of nonlethal capabilities implies close proximity to civilians, it exposes soldiers to possible attacks by the enemy.
Another possible course of action for minimizing civilian casualties in densely populated areas is the use of precise weapons such as sniper rifles and, subsequently, professionals such as marksmen. Unlike nonlethal capabilities, such weapons can lead to instant death in the event of the sniper missing the target and killing a civilian. Nevertheless, unlike nonlethal capabilities, rifles can help achieve the mission goal without creating disorder while keeping a substantial distance between the soldier and potential enemies. At the same time, precise weapons provide more control over the situation and increase the probability of soldiers successfully achieving their goal of neutralizing the target (“Protection,” 2015). Another advantage of weapons such as sniper rifles is that even in the event of missing, the projectile is likely to either impact only one civilian or none at all. The disadvantage of using precise weapons is the possible difficulty of finding the target in a crowded area.
Finally, the last course of action that can be potentially used to minimize civilian casualties is the use of tactical unmanned aircraft systems (UAS). Such systems enable personnel to assess the situation in the targeted area and to identify threats quickly and precisely (“Protection,” 2015). Compared to nonlethal capabilities and sniper rifles, UAS soldiers minimize the probability of casualties most significantly because such systems only provide intel and do not have any power to traumatize or kill civilians. At the same time, UAS are not sufficient for the successful achievement of missions that imply capturing or killing a certain target. Nevertheless, UAS can establish control over the target and thus provide the reconnaissance team with information on the exact location of the threat. Moreover, UAS are practically impossible to see for civilians, which helps to prevent any possible disorder which is likely in the event of the application of nonlethal capabilities. Thus, the use of UAS can be offered as the recommended course of action because it enables personnel to successfully establish threats and potential targets without affecting civilians and interfering in their lives.
The utilization of means such as nonlethal capabilities, precise weapons, and UAS in order to minimize civilian casualties can entail both advantages and disadvantages. The application of nonlethal capabilities can reduce the likelihood of civilian casualties but can lead to injuries, disorder, and exposure of soldiers’ lives to unnecessary risk. The use of precise weapons provides better control over the situation but can lead to unintentional traumatization or even the death of civilians. UAS, despite the need to utilize them together with special reconnaissance troops, can capture the target, allow to avoid civilian casualties, and identify threats’ exact location. Thus, the use of UAS is the recommended course of action for mitigating civilian casualties. At the same time, it is important to ask the question of whether the utilization of UAS is economically feasible.
Reference
Protection of civilians. (2015). Department of the Army. Web.