TY - BOOK ID - 137947356 TI - Understanding civilian harm in Raqqa and its implications for future conflicts AU - McNerney, Michael J. AU - Tarini, Gabrielle AU - Sudkamp, Karen M. AU - Moore, Pauline L. AU - Grisé, Michelle AU - Sacks, Benjamin J. AU - International Security and Defense Policy Center. AU - Rand Corporation. AU - United States. PY - 2022 PB - RAND Corporation DB - UniCat KW - Civilians in war KW - Responsibility to protect (International law) KW - War KW - Combined operations (Military science) KW - Civilian war casualties KW - Harm reduction KW - Protection of civilians KW - International cooperation KW - Prevention. KW - Government policy KW - Since 2011 KW - Syria KW - Raqqah (Syria) KW - United States KW - Syria. KW - United States. KW - History KW - Casualties. KW - History. KW - Armed Forces KW - Risk management. KW - Military policy. UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:137947356 AB - The battle for Raqqa, Syria, seemed like a perfect storm of strategic and operational challenges. When the city was finally liberated from the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in October 2017, 60 to 80 percent of it was estimated to be uninhabitable. In fact, the battle for Raqqa is a cautionary tale about civilian harm in 21st-century conflicts. The purpose of this report is to discuss how the U.S. military - which is the best-trained and most technologically advanced military in the world, is supported in Operation Inherent Resolve by an international coalition of more than 80 countries, and was partnered in Raqqa with a well-respected militia force on the ground - could cause significant civilian harm despite a deeply ingrained commitment to the law of war. In this report, RAND researchers study the causes of civilian harm in Raqqa and provide insights into how the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) can reduce civilian harm in future operations. ER -