Crow Questions Trump Administration Officials About Protections of Civilians in Combat
WASHINGTON — Congressman Jason Crow (D-CO), a former Army Ranger and Ranking Member of the the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Special Operations, questioned Trump Administration officials over decisions within the Department of Defense to fire personnel and defund offices responsible for mitigating civilian harm in combat. This comes as President Trump’s war in Iran has reportedly led to more than 1,000 civilian casualties, including 175 people, mostly young girls, at an elementary school that was allegedly struck by a U.S. tomahawk missile.
At the congressional hearing, Crow questioned Admiral Frank M. Bradley of the U.S. Navy, and Assistant and Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict Derrick Anderson.
“Nothing sets back years of trust building and relationship building more than an errant strike, than killing civilians,” Congressman Crow said at the hearing. “I learned [in combat] that you can actually accomplish the tactical aspect of a mission, but lose the end game if the people you’re fighting with and working with don’t trust you and support you.”
Congressman Crow’s time in Iraq and Afghanistan informs much of his work aimed at increasing civilian protection in combat in Congress, where he is a founding member and co-chair of the Protection of Civilians in Conflict Caucus. Last week he led 120 colleagues demanding detailed information from Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth about recent strikes on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school. He helped pass legislation codifying the creation of the Civilian Protection Center of Excellence, and has passed major portions of his Protection of Civilians in Military Operations Act and Department of Defense Civilian Harm Transparency Act.
###