Throwing the Baby Out With the Bathwater: Can the Military's Role in Global Health Crises be Redeemed?

Abstract

For decades, military humanitarian assistance programs have avoided empirical scrutiny, leaving researchers, the humanitarian community and decision makers without proof of outcome. This Editorial highlights the findings of three major studies that disclose deficits in the quality of the performance and reporting of humanitarian missions, and offer guidance for change. The author suggests that, contrary to current plans to limit the military's role in humanitarian assistance, emerging crises actually increase civilian security risks and that it is time for a new partnership of military and civilian humanitarian resources to evolve in the interest of human security.