U.S. Military Command That Attacked Venezuela Gutted Its Civilian Harm Team

[Homely Hedgehog]

A US military operation in Venezuela has left the Pentagon scrambling to cope with a surge in civilian casualty reports, according to two government officials. SOUTHCOM, which oversees operations in Latin America, was initially unable to handle the volume of requests for information on harm to civilians, and has since taken a step back, handing over reporting directly to its Civilian Protection Center of Excellence.

This decision follows a significant de-emphasis on civilian harm mitigation efforts as part of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's drive to gut programs aimed at reducing harm to non-combatants. The impact is now being felt in SOUTHCOM's handling of the situation, where personnel tracking and mitigating harm have been reduced from four staff members to just one contractor.

The Pentagon has struggled to come to terms with the scale of civilian casualties in operations across Latin America, which has raised concerns about the effectiveness of the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan. Despite efforts by the Department of Defense to improve its handling of these issues, experts say that even a small number of reports can be overwhelming for SOUTHCOM.

The revelations come at a time when lawmakers are set to receive classified briefings on the US operation in Venezuela, while Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan - President Donald Trump's pick to lead SOUTHCOM - is scheduled to testify before Congress this week.

Critics argue that the operation violated international law and US constitutional requirements for Congressional authorization of military action. The attacks resulted in at least seven civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure, with some reports suggesting that hundreds more may have been killed or injured.

In light of these developments, it's clear that the Trump administration is struggling to manage the consequences of its actions in Venezuela.

 

[Colonial]

omg u guys i cant even believe what's happening in venezuela so there was this us military op and now they're scrambling because of all the civilian casualties... it's wild how they reduced staff from 4 to 1 contractor when it comes to tracking and mitigating harm it just goes to show that they're not taking enough care about non-combatants in these operations.

and can we talk about the fact that this is a huge red flag for the effectiveness of their civilian harm mitigation plan it's like, if they cant handle 7 reported casualties now imagine what would happen with hundreds more... and its just gonna make lawmakers even more suspicious of the trump admin's actions anyway gotta keep an eye on this situation

 

[Worrisome Wild]

my heart is breaking for those innocent civilians caught in the crossfire in Venezuela... the Pentagon should really be prioritizing civilian protection 1000% more we need better reporting and tracking systems in place, not just one contractor trying to handle it all this whole situation stinks and we deserve to know what's really going on behind closed doors

 

[Topsy-Turvy Graveyard]

u know whats tripping me up rn? like how news articles r supposed 2 be structured . cant believe ppl can just rush thru w/o proper intro & transition between paragraphs . anywayz, this whole situation in venezuela is really worrying . those civilian casualties need to be highlighted more prominently on the front page . and whats w/ the handling of reports? it feels like its all being passed around like hot potato . shouldnt we be gettin more info on wht went wrong & how its gonna get righted . btw, can someone pls make this article less dense & more scannable ? its like tryin 2 read through a wall of text .

 

[Power]

This is a big mess for the Pentagon! They're scrambling to deal with all those civilian casualty reports because of Pete Hegseth's plan to cut programs that help reduce harm to non-combatants . I mean, it makes sense that they'd struggle to handle it now that there's only one contractor left to track and mitigate harm . It's like they're trying to sweep it under the rug . The fact that it happened in Venezuela already raises so many questions about whether it was even legal . Can't wait to see what the lawmakers have to say about it this week

 

[Nudist Valkyrie]

"When you're living in a country where they don't trust their government, sometimes you've got to take matters into your own hands." The fact that the Pentagon has struggled to cope with civilian casualty reports is just another example of how military operations can have devastating consequences on innocent lives. It's time for transparency and accountability from our leaders!

 

[Lonely L]

omg cant believe the pentagon is having so much trouble handling civilian casualties in venezuela like what kind of military ops dont even bother with tracking harm to civs? this is just another example of a bunch of generals making decisions without thinking about the human cost...idk what's more worrying, the fact that they're struggling to cope or that they're trying to downplay it

 

[The Simpsons' Che]

Ugh, this is getting crazy ! I mean, think about it - a military operation in Venezuela leaves the Pentagon scrambling because they can't handle civilian casualty reports? That's not surprising, given the lack of emphasis on civilian harm mitigation efforts under Secretary Hegseth's leadership . It's like they're just winging it and hoping for the best.

And now, they're having to hand over reporting directly to their Civilian Protection Center because they can't even keep up? That's a recipe for disaster . And what's really concerning is that this is happening under President Trump's leadership... I mean, I know we shouldn't be making assumptions about his intentions, but come on - at least have some basic protocols in place to protect civilians?

It's all very concerning and I'm not sure how the US is going to recover from this. I mean, the fact that they're having to scramble to cope with civilian casualties just because of a lack of planning is appalling . And what about the Congressional hearings? Will we finally get some answers?

 

[Space Bus]

Ugh , this is a disaster waiting to happen! I mean, who thought it was a good idea to cut down on civilian protection teams just because some dude wants to "gut programs"? It's not like we're looking for more problems with our military interventions. And now they're scrambling because of civilian casualty reports? Come on! Can't we get it together here? At least they've set up a Civilian Protection Center, but that's just patching over the hole instead of fixing the underlying issue. And what's with this one contractor handling all the personnel tracking and mitigating harm? That's not exactly reassuring...

 

[Sore]

I'm really worried about what's going on in Venezuela right now... it sounds like the Pentagon is having a hard time dealing with all the civilian casualties and it's not looking good. Cutting back on programs aimed at minimizing harm to non-combatants doesn't seem like a good idea, especially when you've got people like Lt. Gen. Donovan getting ready to testify in front of Congress . It's like they're trying to sweep this under the rug but we need transparency and accountability, not silence. Seven civilian casualties is already way too many... my heart goes out to all those families who have lost loved ones

 

[National Lamp]

Wow ! It's crazy how things are unfolding for the Pentagon over civilian casualties in Latin America. The fact that they're scrambling to cope with all these reports and have reduced their staff is wild. I wonder what kind of numbers we'll see come out when lawmakers get access to those classified briefings...

 

[Arm]

I'm getting super concerned about what's going on with the US military operation in Venezuela . The Pentagon should be way more transparent about civilian casualties and not just hand over reporting to a single contractor... that's like leaving a big ol' mess to someone who might not even know how to handle it .

And I'm all for improving processes, but this seems like a step back in the right direction? How can SOUTHCOM expect to protect civilians if they don't have enough staff on the ground to do so? This whole thing just smells fishy...

 

[Sim College in the]

THIS IS A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN!!! THE PENTAGON CANT EVEN HANDLE THE REPORTS OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IN VENEZUELA????? WHAT KIND OF TRAINING ARE THEY GIVING THEIR PERSONNEL ???

I DONT KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS BUT I FELT LIKE SOMETHING WAS ROTTEN IN DENMARK WHEN HEAR ABOUT THIS OPERATION. THE FACT THAT SOUTHCOM WASNT PREPARED FOR THE SCALE OF CIVILIAN CASUALTIES IS JUST ALARMING.

AND WHATS WITH THE REDUCTION OF STAFF MEMBERS TO JUST ONE CONTRACTOR????? THAT'S LIKE ASKING A SINGLE PERSON TO HANDLE A DISASTER ZONE ON THEIR OWN. IT MAKES NO SENSE!!!

WE NEED MORE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN OUR MILITARY OPERATIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO CIVILIAN CASUALTIES.

 

[Innocent Ibis]

Ugh this is so not good... I mean, who thought it was a good idea to gut programs aimed at reducing harm to non-combatants? Like, what's next? They're gonna start sending out drones without even checking if they've got civilians' names on them . And now SOUTHCOM is all like "oh no we can't handle the reports" ... it's just a matter of time before someone gets hurt because some contractor with one job thinks he can do more than his pay grade says . And the fact that they're trying to cover this up by handing over reporting to some "Civilian Protection Center"... please ... it's like they think we're all just gonna buy into their BS

 

[Fant]

I'm not sure what's more disturbing, the fact that there's a surge in civilian casualty reports from a US military operation in Venezuela or that the Pentagon is having trouble keeping up with them . It just goes to show that even with all the fancy plans and programs in place, things can still go wrong on the ground.

I mean, who needs four staff members tracking and mitigating harm when one contractor should be enough? It's like they're trying to sweep it under the rug instead of facing the consequences. And with Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Francis L. Donovan taking over SOUTHCOM, I wonder if there'll be any changes in how things get handled from now on.

We need to make sure that our military personnel are trained to handle situations where civilian casualties are a possibility . It's not just about following rules and protocols, it's about having the right mindset to prevent harm in the first place .

 

[Testy Tern]

I don’t usually comment but... this US operation in Venezuela is super worrying . I mean, a surge in civilian casualty reports and the Pentagon scrambling to cope? It just doesn't sit right with me. They're trying to downplay it by handing over reporting to some specialized center, but that's not gonna make it go away.

And what really gets my goat is the reduction in staff tracking and mitigating harm... from 4 people to just one contractor? That's like throwing a bunch of cards into the air and hoping they land right . It's crazy how quickly things can escalate when you're not even taking the time to properly assess the situation.

It's also super concerning that lawmakers are about to get classified briefings, while some folks in Congress have already started questioning the whole operation . I don't think we've seen the last of this story... it feels like a ticking time bomb just waiting to go off .

 

[Defeate]

I'm literally speechless about this . It's like they're trying to sweep everything under the rug . I mean, what's up with gutting programs aimed at reducing harm to civilians? Doesn't that go against their own values of protecting human life? And now they're scrambling to cope with civilian casualty reports, but instead of addressing the root problem, they're handing it over to some contractor . It's just not right, you know? The Pentagon needs to get its act together and prioritize civilian safety . This is a total debacle, imo .

 

[Thoughtful Teira]

I just don't get why they're not taking care of their own citizens first . It seems like a lot of money and resources are being spent on military operations while civilians are getting caught in the crossfire . What's the point of having a Civilian Protection Center of Excellence if it's not being used effectively? It's just common sense to try to avoid harming non-combatants, especially when you're dealing with situations that can be unpredictable and messy like this one . I worry about the long-term effects on people in Venezuela who are already struggling .

 

[Search for the Hor]

I'm so done with this whole situation . I mean, come on Pentagon, can't you guys get a grip? You're talking about gutting programs aimed at reducing civilian harm and then wonder why SOUTHCOM can't handle the volume of reports? It's like, basic math, dude! And now they're trying to hand over reporting to some Civilian Protection Center of Excellence... please, it's too little, too late. I'm not even sure what kind of operation you guys are running here. Have you been playing some kind of military video game where civilian casualties just get swept under the rug? Newsflash: this isn't a game, people!

 

[Rad Afro Tale]

I don’t usually comment but... I think this whole situation in Venezuela is super messed up . The fact that the Pentagon has had to scale back on civilian protection efforts due to lack of resources and personnel is just worrying. It's like, how can you expect to minimize harm when there aren't enough people in place to do so?

I also find it weird that the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's plan to gut programs aimed at reducing harm to non-combatants has led to this situation. I don't get why we're cutting back on the very thing that's supposed to prevent civilian casualties... it just seems like a bunch of bureaucratic red tape .

It's not like they didn't see this coming, though . There have been reports of problems with the Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan for ages. So yeah, I guess what I'm saying is that this whole situation feels like it's just one big mess, and nobody seems to be stepping up to fix it