<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1655755562385,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000016b-0e59-daea-a7ff-0f5fee2e0002","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1655755562385,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000016b-0e59-daea-a7ff-0f5fee2e0002","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_53335662", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1018051"} }); rn","_id":"00000181-82b8-ddcb-a3e1-cffad7900000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedRep. Adam Smith (D-WA), the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, is calling for the Defense Department to do more to prevent civilian harm in its drone program.
The chairman’s mark of the fiscal year 2023 National Defense Authorization Act, which he released on Monday, would establish both a commission on civilian harm and a center for excellence in civilian harm mitigation, according to a summary. The full committee markup is on Wednesday.
UKRAINE COULD ‘DEFINITELY WIN’ DEPENDING ON HOW VICTORY IS DEFINED, EXPERTS SAY
The measure would also compel the comptroller general to review DOD’s processes and demand enhancements to the annual report of civilian casualties, and it requires the United States to make “payments for damage, personal injury, or death to a civilian that is inadvertently caused by the use of force by the U.S. Armed Forces.”
The concepts are similar to those of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan, which he released at the end of January.
The directive, which the Defense Department announced on Thursday, calls for DOD to establish a civilian protection center immediately, develop more standardized operational reporting for possible civilian harm, review how the military responds to civilian harm, and incorporate guidance for how civilian harm can occur from a full spectrum of armed conflict.
Within the last year, DOD investigations found that the U.S. killed civilians in a 2018 strike in Syria, as well as in a strike in Afghanistan last August. Neither resulted in disciplinary actions for the service members involved. Another strike took place last December in Syria, where there were possible civilian casualties. An investigation has concluded, but the results have not been released publicly.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The top line of Smith’s version of the NDAA is similar to the one put forward by the Biden administration. His request is for about $813 billion, with roughly $30 billion going to the Department of Energy. Comparatively, last week, the Senate Armed Services Committee voted to advance the NDAA for fiscal 2023 with a top line of $857.64 billion, according to a summary of the bill the committee released.
