The Human Factor: The Enduring Relevance of Protecting Civilians in Future Wars (Summer 2022)

The U.S. military has shifted from a counterinsurgency “population-centric” approach to an enemy-centric one, focused on destroying an enemy through decisive victory. And yet it should be careful not to cast aside measures to protect civilians as a vestige of the counterinsurgency era. In the future, wars are likely to be fought in urban areas, thus making the protection of civilians more relevant than ever. The U.S. military and its allies should take steps now to adapt planning, training, tactics, and tools in order to better protect civilians in scenarios in which they may find themselves fighting in densely populated areas.