Article: Strategic Narratives and US Surrogate Warfare
In this article ‘Strategic Narratives and US Surrogate Warfare’ Thomas Waldman discusses how the US frames and justifies their surrogate wars by using strategic narratives
Blowback
The Unanticipated Consequences of Remote Warfare
Remote warfare has upended traditional notions of war as a duel. Physically withdrawing bodies from the battlefield in this low-risk form of warfare does not allow for directly reciprocal violence. And by radically altering our ideas of where the battlefield is and how long the war lasts, remote warfare risks the enemy seeking retaliation by alternative means. The threat of violence “at home” has long been a powerful short-term impetus for managing threats at arms reach, however the act of doing so may risk further problems in the longer term.
Here you will find our own research output and a variety of other thematically relevant publications, blogs, events and podcasts we have been inspired by in our investigations into the Intimacies of Remote Warfare.
Documentary: The White Helmets
A documentary about the realities of remote warfare and how civilians risk their lives every day to save the lives of others.
Article: The costs and consequences of drone warfare
Michael J. Boyle discusses and warns for the different costs and consequences of remote warfare such as blowback.
Podcast: Reverberating civilian harm effects
On episode 68 of the Asymmetrical Haircuts podcast, IRW’s Lauren Gould dives into the ripple civilian harm effects of the Dutch 2015 airstrike on Hawija, Iraq.
Article: Reverberating civilian harm effects under IHL
Dr. Machiko Kanetake reflects on IRW’s ‘After the Strike’ report and the way its findings should influence debates in international humanitarian law.
Op-ed: ‘Increased defense budgets should result in victim compensation funds’
In an op-ed in Het Parool, IRW’s Jip van Dort and PAX’s Erin Bijl argue that a modest part of the increased Defence budget should be invested in the creation of victim compensation funds.
Op-ed: ‘Armed drones are not some kind of superweapon’
While the war in Ukraine rages on, the Dutch state seems to be laying the political foundations for the armament of its military drones. In an op-ed in Het Parool, IRW’s Lauren Gould and Jip van Dort reflect on the shortcomings of this political process.
Rewatch: Launch of IRW’s joint report ‘After the Strike’
The recordings of the sold-out live event in De Balie with, among others, Pulitzer Prize winner Azmat Khan are now available online.
Reflection: On new civilian harm transparency policy of the Dutch MoD
IRW and partners reflect on the recent policy changes they helped shape
After the strike: Exposing the civilian harm effects of the 2015 Dutch airstrike on Hawija
IRW, PAX and Al-Ghad are proud to share their report on the direct and reverberating effects of the 2015 Dutch aistrike on Hawija, Iraq
The Effects of the Dutch airstrike on Hawija
Utrecht University’s Intimacies of Remote Warfare programme (IRW) and their societal partners PAX and Al-Ghad expose the reverberating civilian harm effects of remote warfare in their report ‘After The Strike’.
Join the launch of IRW’s joint report on remote warfare & civilian harm in Hawija
On April 13, a team of researchers of IRW, PAX and Al-Ghad will present and discuss their findings during a live event at De Balie, Amsterdam
IRW discusses civilian harm in The Independent
IRW’s Dr. Lauren Gould was interviewed for an article in The Independent about the negative effects of states failing to take responsibility for civilian casualties.
Report: “After the Dust Settles: Seeking Acknowledgement and Justice”
How was the 2015 bombing on Hawija experienced and interpreted on social media? A team of students from Utrecht University collaborated with IRW and PAX to answer this question. Their findings are now available in a research report.
Strategic ignorance and the legitimation of remote warfare: The Hawija bombardments
This article by IRW Dr Lauren Gould and Dr Nora Stel was recently published by Security Dialogue.
PAX talk to Airwars about our joint research project on civilian harm in Hawija.
PAX tells Airwars what they observed and heard while walking through Hawija and talking to the victims of the 2015 Dutch airstrike that killed 70 and destroyed over 400 buildings.
The conversation about civilian harm is our responsibility
Nike Wenthol and Marrit Woudwijk reflect on the latest judicial developments regarding Srebrenica and reflect on what lessons can be learnt.
How Remote Warfare Blows Back: A Case Study of Hawija
The IRW teams up with Pax and introduces a new Community Engagement Learning project to study the reverberating effects of the Dutch airstike on Hawija, Iraq.
IRW researcher receives Utrecht University’s MA Thesis Award for Remote Warfare Research
Marrit Woudwijk wins MA thesis prize for her research into how Syrian refugees perceive Dutch F16 bombings.
(Un)Contested Frames: Frame resonance, narratives and the danger of blowback from airstrikes by the international anti-ISIL coalition.
Research report from Nora Kindermann on frame resonance, narratives and the danger of blowback from airstrikes by the international anti-ISIL coalition.
Buy now, pay later: American military intervention and the strategic cost paradox
Thomas Waldman explores how attempts at avoiding short-term political costs of war increase longer-term political and security costs.
Remote Warfare and its Discontents
Blog post on transparency, accountability and scrutiny in remote warfare.
Vicarious warfare: The counterproductive consequences of modern American military practice.
Thomas Waldman details how delegation, darkness and danger-proofing contribute to blowback effects for states waging remote warfare.
Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars
This documentary presents an overview of remote warfare’s inconvenient truths: violations of international law, loss of innocent life, psychological and societal trauma, and potential blowback.
Drone Warfare in Yemen: Fostering Emirates through Counterterrorism?
Hudson, Owens and Callen examine the political blowback of drone trikes in Yemen.
Drone warfare: Blowback from the New American way of war.
Hudson, Owens and Flannes investigate the radicalising effects of targeted killings.
Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of an American Empire.
Chalmers Johnson on the unintended outcomes of covert operations.
Intimacies of Remote Warfare