Air Power, International Organizations, and Civilian Casualties in Afghanistan

• Published date: 01 October 2023
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X221100780
• Author: Susan Allen,Sam R. Bell,Carla Martinez Machain
• Date: 01 October 2023
• Subject Matter: Commentaries

https://doi.org/10.1177/0095327X221100780

Armed Forces & Society

2023, Vol. 49(4) 1048 –1060

© The Author(s) 2022

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DOI: 10.1177/0095327X221100780

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Commentary

Air Power, International

Organizations, and

Civilian Casualties in

Afghanistan

Susan Allen1, Sam R. Bell2,

and Carla Martinez Machain2

Abstract

Can the presence of international organizations reduce civilian deaths caused by

aerial bombing? This commentary examines this question in the specific context of

the U.S.-led war in Afghanistan. We evaluate this based on interviews conducted with

members of international organizations that were present in Afghanistan during the

conflict, existing intergovernmental organizations, nongovernmental organizations,

and government reports, and with quantitative data on civilian casualties between

2008 and 2013. We conclude that there is tentative evidence from Afghanistan that

international organizations can in fact reduce the severity of civilian killings that

result from the use of air power. However, there is much need for greater data

sharing to more fully answer this important question.

Keywords

air power, civilian casualties, Afghanistan war, nongovernmental organization

(NGO), international organizations

Between 2014 and 2020, American forces engaged in more than 50,000 air strikes in

Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria (Khan, 2021). By 2014, the United States and its

International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) partners had drastically reduced the

1The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS, USA

2University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, USA

Corresponding Author:

Susan Allen, Department of Political Science, University of Mississippi, PO Box 1848, Oxford,

MS 38677, USA.

Email: shallen@olemiss.edu

1100780AFSXXX10.1177/0095327X221100780Armed Forces & SocietyAllen et al.

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