Limiting Casualties: Imperative or Constraint?
Abstract
As America finds itself answering to the needs of the world, the costs associated with less-than-vital military operations have become a growing subject of debate. One inevitable part of this debate is the issue of combat casualties and the widely held perception that the American public, and consequently, US political leadership, is excessively sensitive to suffering combat casualties. This monograph examines the question of whether this sensitivity should alter political and military decision-making. The monograph examines past studies to document the effect of war casualties on public support and political popularity. The issue of casualties is discussed in relation to national security strategies and military decision-making. This discussion includes how national strategists often erroneously use the risk of casualties to support or block political strategies and decisions. For the military, this discussion includes the risk of allowing shifting political pressures to override the harsh realities of combat. Finally, the monograph studies the issue of enemy war casualties and collateral damage and what role they should have on national and military decision-making. The monograph concludes by providing guidance for how political and military leaders can properly integrate the issue of combat into their decision-making.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 22, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA331295
Entities
People
- Kevin S. Woods
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College