Saving Soldiers or Civilians?
Casualty-Aversion versus Civilian Protection in Asymmetric Conflicts

Examines how contemporary asymmetric conflicts between the United States and their non-state adversaries have become contests over the two norms of casualty-aversion and civilian protection.

Sebastian Kaempf (Author)

9781108427647, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 3 May 2018

302 pages
23.5 x 15.5 x 1.9 cm, 0.6 kg

'Saving Soldiers or Civilians? makes a very important contribution to our understandings of U.S. military policy, civilian casualties, and the dilemmas inherent in trying to follow the laws of armed conflict while simultaneously seeking to maximize military advantage. Kaempf's explanations are clear and plausible, and they must be taken seriously.' Bruce Cronin, Perspectives on Politics

Concerns for the lives of soldiers and innocent civilians have come to underpin Western, and particularly American, warfare. Yet this new mode of conflict faces a dilemma: these two norms have opened new areas of vulnerability that have been systematically exploited by non-state adversaries. This strategic behaviour creates a trade-off, forcing decision-makers to have to choose between saving soldiers and civilians in target states. Sebastian Kaempf examines the origin and nature of this dilemma, and in a detailed analysis of the US conflicts in Somalia, Afghanistan and Iraq, investigates the ways the US has responded, assessing the legal, moral, and strategic consequences. Scholars and students of military and strategic studies, international relations and peace and conflict studies will be interested to read Kaempf's analysis of whether the US or its adversaries have succeeded in responding to this central dilemma of contemporary warfare.

Introduction
1. US warfare and civilian protection
2. US warfare and casualty-aversion
3. The interactive dynamics of asymmetric conflicts
4. Case study I: the US intervention in Somalia
5. Case study II: the US war in Afghanistan
6. Case study III: the US war in Iraq
Conclusion.

Subject Areas: Theory of warfare & military science [JWA], International relations [JPS], Peace studies & conflict resolution [GTJ]