Local Civilian Population Research Articles

From ‘Roving’ to ‘Stationary’ Actors: Understanding the Territorial Logic of Al Shabaab in Somalia

ABSTRACT Non-state armed actors’ (NSAAs) control of territory is not a completely new phenomenon in international politics. However, NSAAs resurgence in the conceptualization and demarcation of both physical and imaginary territorial space has raised the need for a further understanding of their territorial logic. Non-state armed actors continue to seize, occupy, and control territory in a manner that undermines Westphalia tenets of statehood, including sovereignty, territorial integrity, and independence. This article attempts to shed some light on the understanding of the territorial logic of NSAAs by innovatively combining three independent and interrelated components that have emerged from NSAAs territorial control. These components include NSAA territorial governance, relations with local civilian populations and ideology guided territorial tactics and strategies. We apply the results to the typical and contemporary case of Al Shabaab in Somalia to generate critical insights into NSAA conceptualization, control and demarcation of physical and imaginary space.

Medical Assistance in the De-Occupied Ukrainian Territory.

The Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 has affected more people and destroyed a local public health facility. When some territories in Ukraine were de-occupied, national and international mobile clinics (MCs) were involved for medical assistance to local inhabitants. Knowledge about population health, medical, and humanitarian needs after they have been de-occupied has to improve planning for health system response. The aim of this study was to summarized the MC experience at the first month after the area was de-occupied, as well as to show out-patient visits and to identify a need for medicines and medical equipment in the MC. The information related to the missions was obtained by direct observation and estimation on empirical data gathering in the field during a twelve-day mission in April-May 2022. All patients were divided by age, sex, and diseases according to the International Classification of Diseases-10 (ICD-10). During the twelve-day MC mission, medical assistance was provided for 478 out-patients. Descriptive statistical methods were undertaken using Microsoft Office 2019, Excel with data analysis. All out-patients were evaluated clinically. Personal medical cards were completed for each patient. Glucose testing as well as tests for coronavirus disease 2019/COVID-19 had been done, if it was necessary. All sick persons were treated for their disease. The priority needs for emergency and primary medical care, medicines, and hygienic and sanitation supplies after the area was de-occupied were fixed. The most frequent reasons for visiting the МС were: hypertension (27.6%), musculoskeletal-related (arthritis) diseases (26.9%), heart and peripheral vascular diseases (12.1%), upper gastrointestinal disorder (5.4%), upper respiratory infection (5.0%), and diabetes Type-2 (3.7%). Other diagnoses such as lower respiratory tract infection, diagnoses of the digestive system (hemorrhoids and perianal venous thrombosis), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease/COPD or asthma, eye diseases, gynecology-related condition, menstrual condition, and urinary tract disorder were distributed almost equally (0.21%-2.51%) among the patient population. In the de-occupied territories, a health responder could be ready for medical assistance to patients with noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) as well as to support a person with psychological reactions who asked for sedatives and sleep-inducing medicines. These data clearly demonstrate that MCs must be equipped by blood pressure (BP) monitor, stethoscope, pulse oximeter, and diabetes testing kit glucose with essential medicines. This study improves health response planning for local civilian populations in de-occupied territory.

Partisan Movement in Southern France in 1814: The Case of Florian

In the face of the invasion of the Allied troops into the territory of France, Napoleon highly relied on the popular resistance of the French to the enemy. The author considers the history of a partisan detachment operating in the South of France under the command of Florian, a “half-hero” or “half-robber”. What was the real contribution of partisans to the course of military operations? What was the motivation of their leaders? What was the relationship between the military command and the commanders of the partisan detachments? How did the civil authorities and the local civilian population treat the partisans? The paucity of official documents is compensated by sources of personal origin, which make it possible to reveal the human dimension of this “small war”. In 1814, “Captain” Florian, who led a detachment of twenty volunteers, behaved like a free corsair, whose actions at times situationally coincided with the interests of the military command. Lacking an official partisan patent, he attacked the allies’ supply trains, robbed army stores, intercepted English couriers, and did not disdain the capture of officers’ personal luggage. Having had a reputation as a marauder in Spain since 1813, Florian in 1814 allowed himself all sorts of “excesses” in relation to the local population. The civil authorities in the person of the prefect tried to reason with him and certain individuals disinterestedly worked for him as “pointers”. Only in March did Marshal Soult try to intensify the creation of partisan detachments and subordinate them to a single command. Florian claimed to have unlimited powers from Soult. However, the negotiations between Soult’s representative Major Bory de Saint-Vincent and Florian ended in nothing: the complaints of the civil authorities and the reputation of the partisan commander caused discontent on the part of the marshal. The last action of Florian’s partisans was an attack on April 12 on an English courier, from whom a watch and a large amount of money were confiscated according the “laws of war”. Mythologized in popular scholarship and educational literature of the 1870s, the partisan movement in France in 1814 was distinguished by a very modest scale and limited actions, and the line between ordinary robbery and a patriotic action was sometimes difficult to discern.

LETTERS OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR FOOD AFFAIRS GALICIA AND BUKOVINA TO THE GOVERNMENT OF WUPR (FEBRUARY 1919)

For the first time, the letters of the chief commissioner for food affairs of Galicia and Bukovina, Roman Trofymenko, to the government of the Western Ukrainian People's Republic (WUPR), which inform about the amount of food delivered by the relevant structures of the government of the Ukrainian People's Republic for the needs of the population of Eastern Galicia and the Galician army at the beginning of February 1919, have been introduced into scientific circulation. It is noted that the letters also refer to a dispute with the leadership of WUPR regarding the area of competence of the chief commissioner. It was established that the commissioner raised the question of the need to record all food products in Eastern Galicia and the need to prepare a government order regarding the establishment of fixed prices for certain products by the state; a draft of such an order was prepared by a representative of the UPR (Ukrainian People's Republic) government. It has been demonstrated that the letter mentions that the chief commissioner sent his representatives to some counties together with two government officials of the military intendencia to purchase grain products. It was emphasized that R. Trofymenko asked the WUPR government to take appropriate measures to prohibit requisitioning by military quartermasters of food intended for the civilian population. It was established that the Office of the Chief Commissioner participated in the formation of local food administrations in cooperation with the Food Government of the WUPR. It is noted that the management structures of the chief commissioner together with the specified bodies provided food to the local civilian population. Keywords: UPR, WUPR, Roman Trofymenko, Galicia.

Associations of SARS-CoV-2 serum IgG with occupation and demographics of military personnel.

BackgroundCountries across the globe have mobilized their armed forces in response to COVID-19, placing them at increased risk for viral exposure. Humoral responses to SARS-CoV-2 among military personnel serve as biomarkers of infection and provide a basis for disease surveillance and recognition of work-related risk factors.MethodsEnzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) were used to measure SARS-CoV-2 spike antigen-specific IgG in serum obtained from N = 988 US National Guard soldiers between April-June 2020. Occupational information, e.g. military operating specialty (MOS) codes, and demographic data were obtained via questionnaire. Plaque assays with live SARS-CoV-2 were used to assess serum neutralizing capacity for limited subjects (N = 12).ResultsThe SARS-CoV-2 IgG seropositivity rate among the study population was 10.3% and significantly associated with occupation and demographics. Odds ratios were highest for those working in MOS 2T-Transportation (3.6; 95% CI 0.7–18) and 92F-Fuel specialist/ground and aircraft (6.8; 95% CI 1.5–30), as well as black race (2.2; 95% CI 1.2–4.1), household size ≥6 (2.5; 95% CI 1.3–4.6) and known COVID-19 exposure (2.0; 95% CI 1.2–3.3). Seropositivity tracked along major interstate highways and clustered near the international airport and the New York City border. SARS-CoV-2 spike IgG+ serum exhibited low to moderate SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing capacity with IC50s ranging from 1:15 to 1:280. In limited follow-up testing SARS-CoV-2 serum IgG levels remained elevated up to 7 months.ConclusionsThe data highlight increased SARS-CoV-2 seroprevalence among National Guard vs. the local civilian population in association with transportation-related occupations and specific demographics.

Perception of Russian Politics in Galicia in Diaries and Memoirs of World War I Participants

The problem of perception of Russian politics in Galicia during the First World War by participants in military operations is considered. The relevance of the study is due to the interest of modern society in historical sources of personal origin. The novelty is determined by a wide corpus of diaries and memoirs of participants in hostilities, un-published archival ego-documents introduced into scientific circulation. Based on new sources, the actions of the Russian authorities and the army in Galicia in 1914—1916 are interpreted. Plots are revealed that are not recorded by officials in official documents. Unjustified decisions of the local administration, bureaucratic confusion and arbitrariness are analyzed. The degree of influence of official Russian propaganda on the position of combatants and Galicians is determined in the study. Different points of view among Russian society on the organization of governance in Galicia and the national and confessional policy pursued there are revealed. The diaries and memoirs of the combatants made it possible to look at the events that took place in Galicia from the perspective of an eyewitness, shedding light on the features of everyday life, both of the local civilian population, and of military units, and of the medical service who found themselves in the conquered territories.

Creeping occupation of Georgian territories and Russian aggression against Georgians living in occupied territories

This article describes the creeping occupation of Georgian territories and Russian aggression against the local civilian population. It explains in detail how Russia violates international norms and rules and treats the civilian population in the occupied territories of Georgia. Since the occupation of the Georgian territories, Russia constantly discriminates against the local Georgian people and treats them very inhumanly. Many Georgian families were forced to abandon Abkhazia and South Ossetia due to this inhuman treatment. The legal status of Georgians living in the occupied territories considerably worsened after the Russian Federation signed a treaty on “alliance and strategic partnership” with Abkhazia and South Ossetia. As time passes, Russia is creating more obstacles and problems for local Georgian people and treats them very inhumanly. Georgians living in the occupied territories are deprived of all human rights and are treated as second-rate citizens by puppet regimes in Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Georgian people living close to the occupation line also face enormous problems due to the creeping annexation of Georgian territories. Russian Federation tries to expand the boundaries of South Ossetia at the expense of Georgian lands. As a result of this creeping occupation local Georgian people living close to the occupied territories constantly lose their vital agricultural lands, which are the only source of income for them.

521 Incidence of Bone Fracture Rate Post-Burn and Trauma in Role 2 and 3 Treatment Centers

Abstract Introduction One of the hallmarks of critical illness and trauma is that it triggers resorptive bone loss, as well as an increase in bone fractures and a reduction in bone density. Sustained markers of bone resorption, bone formation, and regulators of bone signaling pathways are linked to prolonged inflammatory activities and the prolonged deterioration of bone microstructure. The objective of this study is to evaluate the bone fracture rate of the U.S Military, non-U.S. Military, North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Military, local civilian, and Coalition Forces population in Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel with burns from 2005 to 2018 using the Department of Defense Trauma Registry (DoDTR; n=28,707). Our hypothesis is that there is a direct relationship between burn injury severity and bone fracture rates. Methods Pearson’s correlation coefficient and scatterplots were used in this retrospective, observational study to demonstrate the correlation between total body surface area (TBSA) burn and number of fractures by anatomical location. Results Approximately 15,195 patients (age: 26 ± 10 years) in Role 2 and Role 3 treatment centers reported fractures. Of those patients, 351 suffered from burns with 632 anatomical fracture locations. Facial fractures were most prominent (16%), followed by foot (12%), skull (12%), tibia/fibula (11%), hand (11%), and ulna/radius (10%). There was no initial correlation between n increasing severity of TBSA burn and count of fracture locations (ρ=-0.03, p=0.8572). Conclusions There was no acute correlation between burn severity and bone fracture rates; however, further analyses are required to assess chronic post-burn fracture rates.

Пограничная армия поздней Римской империи в середине IV в. (на примере Исаврии и рейнской границы): к вопросу о методах размещения войсковых подразделений

Introduction. During the whole 4th c. the Late Roman frontier military units constantly took part in military campaigns against different enemies of the Empire, hovewer the author of this paper asks the question how precisely frontier military units managed their service, i.e. which functions they exercised and how they interacted to local civilian population of the province where they stood in. The author believes that a set of functions depended foremost on the location landscape. Methods and materials. The author applies the comparison approach, i.e. compares the peculiarities of two regions where the frontier armies stood: Isauria at the southeast of Asia Minor (mountain landscape) and Upper Germany at the Rhine frontier (mainly plain territory). The source accounts are “The Life of St. Conon of Isauria” (hagiography), an important inscription of Julian the Caesar (future Emperor Julian the Apostate) from Upper Germany (epigraphy) and the work of Ammianus Marcellinus “The Deeds” (Res gestae). Analysis. The author compares evidence on the military arrangement of two provinces and considers how their frontier units defended these lands from external and internal enemies, how they interacted to local population and how precisely they located in its forts. Conclusions. As a result the author concludes that the Roman administration could not place a large number of regular military units in Isauria, because this province had not enough fertile plain lands, this region suffered from the lack of food supply. The hard and cruel mountain landscape enforced to make the bands of irregular city militia – in the case of Isaurian assaults citizens formed military detachments, which were temporarily attached to regular units called vexillations. In contrast, at the Rhine frontier, where there were enough fertile flat lands, the Roman administration might place many regular units and, moreover, this region received detachments from expeditionary troops. In other words, the Roman administration had enough food supply to maintain a high number of regular frontier garrisons.

ФЕНОМЕН "ЦИВІЛЬНОГО ЗАРУЧНИЦТВА" В ДЕПОРТАЦІЙНИХ ПРАКТИКАХ РАДЯНСЬКИХ СПЕЦСЛУЖБ НА ЗАХІДНІЙ УКРАЇНІ В 1944–1952 РОКАХ

In 1944, with the beginning of the re-occupation of Western Ukraine by the Soviet Union, the practice of using forced evictions of local civilians as a method of repression and combating against anti-Soviet organizations and movements was restored. In fact, the deportation campaign against the “OUN families” was continued, which began on May 22, 1941 and lasted, with a break for the German occupation, until 1952. The deportation campaign included four stages: (1) operation on May 22, 1941, when 3 079 families or 11 329 persons were evicted; (2) campaigns of 1944–1946 – 14 726 families or 36 609 persons; (3) operation “Zapad” (“West”) on October 21–26, 1947 – 26,332 families or 77,791 persons; and (4) 1948–1952 campaigns – 22,308 families or 80,209 persons. In total, 205,938 people were deported from Western Ukraine as part of this campaign. Counterinsurgency against the Ukrainian anti-Soviet Resistance movement (primarily the OUN and the UPA) was the main purpose of these measures of the Soviet special services. Initially, the use of mass deportations was aimed at destroying the base of the Ukrainian anti-Soviet resistance movement and focused primarily on the families of the killed, arrested and active members of the underground. With the resumption of the deportation campaign in 1944, the application of the principle of hostility began to become dominant. Initially as a “family hostage” (since August 1944), and soon as civilian hostage – when the principle of collective responsibility of the local civilian population start used. The first detected order of the Soviet special services, which provided the application of the principle of civil hostage, was issued on May 24, 1945 jointly by the NKVD and the NKGB of the Ukrainian SSR. Despite the absence of any direct reference to the principle of hostage in the regulatory acts of operation "Zapad", civilians and members of the anti-Soviet resistance movement perceived it as a “response” to the activity of Ukrainian insurgents. On October 20, 1948, the USSR Order No.00386 was issued, which was based directly on the principles of civil hostage. For more effective implementation of the Chekist “retaliatory actions” a special logistic infrastructure of special assembly points was created. Based on this analysis, it was established that the Stalinist repression system used the principles of joint and several liabilities for the local civilian population of Western Ukraine in 1944–1952. It can be qualified as a violation of the rules of international conventions by the Soviet special services that prohibit the practice of hostage among civilian persons who are not involved in armed conflicts.

The Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital in the Korean War (1951-1954): Military Hospital or Humanitarian "Sanctuary?"

During the Korean War (1950-1953) the Norwegian government sent a mobile army surgical hospital (MASH) to support the efforts of the United Nations (UN) Army. From the first, its status was ambiguous. The US-led military medical services believed that the "Norwegian Mobile Army Surgical Hospital" (NORMASH) was no different from any other MASH; but both its originators and its staff regarded it as a vehicle for humanitarian aid. Members of the hospital soon recognized that their status in the war zone was primarily that of a military field hospital. Yet they insisted on providing essential medical care to the local civilian population as well as trauma care to UN soldiers and prisoners of war. The ambiguities that arose from the dual mission of NORMASH are explored in this article, which pays particular attention to the experiences of nurses, as expressed in three types of source: their contemporary letters to their Matron-in-Chief; a report written by one nurse shortly after the war; and a series of oral history interviews conducted approximately 60 years later. The article concludes that the nurses of NORMASH experienced no real role-conflict. They viewed it as natural that they should offer their services to both military and civilian casualties according to need, and they experienced a sense of satisfaction from their work with both types of patient. Ultimately, the experience of Norwegian nurses in Korea illustrates the powerful sense of personal agency that could be experienced by nurses in forward field hospitals, where political decision-making did not impinge too forcefully on their clinical and ethical judgment as clinicians.

Экономическая жизнь в левобережном Саратове в третьей четверти XVII в.: хозяйственная деятельность, местное гражданское население

Экономическая жизнь в левобережном Саратове в третьей четверти XVII в.: хозяйственная деятельность, местное гражданское население

Elective neurosurgical humanitarian care in a deployed setting.

OBJECTIVEActive-duty neurosurgical coverage has been provided at Bagram Air Force Base in Afghanistan since 2007. Early operative logs were reflective of a large number of surgical procedures performed to treat battlefield injuries. However, with maturation of the war effort, the number of operations for battlefield injuries has decreased with time. Consequently, procedures performed for elective neurosurgical humanitarian care (NHC) increased in number and complexity prior to closure of the Korean Hospital in 2015, which resulted in effective termination of NHC at Bagram. Monthly neurosurgical caseloads for deployed personnel have dropped precipitously since this time, renewing a debate as to whether the benefits of providing elective NHC in Afghanistan outweigh the costs of such a strategy. To date, there is a paucity of information in the literature discussing the overall context of such a determination.METHODSThe author retrospectively reviewed his personal database of all patients who underwent neurosurgical procedures at Bagram during his deployment there from April 17 to October 29, 2014. Standardized clinical parameters had been recorded in the ABNS NeuroLog system. All cases of nonelective surgical care for battlefield injuries were identified and excluded. Records of all other procedures, which represented elective NHC delivered during this period, were accessed to extract salient clinical and radiological data.RESULTSDuring the 6-month deployment, 49 patients (29 male and 20 female, age range 18 months to 63 years) were treated by the author in elective NHC. Procedures were performed for spinal degenerative disease (n = 28), cranial tumors (n = 11), pediatric conditions (n = 6), Pott's disease (n = 2), peripheral nerve impingement (n = 1), and adult hydrocephalus (n = 1). The duration of follow-up ranged from 3 to 23 weeks. Complications referable to surgery included asymptomatic, unilateral lumbar screw fracture detected 3 months postoperatively and treated with revision of hardware (n = 1); wound infection requiring cranial flap explantation and staged cranioplasty (n = 1); and unanticipated return to the operating room for resection of residual tumor in a patient with a solitary metastatic lesion involving the mesial temporal lobe/ambient cistern (n = 1). There were no instances of postoperative neurological decline.CONCLUSIONSElective NHC can be safely and effectively implemented in the deployed setting. Benefits of a military strategy that supports humanitarian care include strengthening of the bond between the US/Afghan military communities and the local civilian population as well as maintenance of skills of the neurosurgical team during the sometimes-lengthy intervals between cases in which emergent neurosurgical care is provided for treatment of battlefield injuries.

Attitudes and Beliefs of Deployed United States Military Medical Personnel about Providing Healthcare for Iraqi Patients

This study surveyed 1,129 U.S. military medical personnel deployed to a combat support hospital in Iraq regarding their attitudes and beliefs about providing healthcare to Iraqi National Guard, civilian, and security detainee patients. A significant percentage of military medical personnel reported they were comfortable treating Iraqi patients. However, a notable proportion indicated discomfort in this role, especially when interacting with security detainees. Nearly half of the medical personnel did not feel adequately prepared or trained for this role. U.S. military medical personnel may benefit from enhanced predeployment cultural education and training tailored to care for the local civilian patient population.

Źródła do dziejów I wojny światowej w zasobie Archiwum Państwowego w Olsztynie

Various archives concerning the issues of daily life in East Prussia during World War II have been pre�served in the State Archives in Olsztyn (APO). In the archival units, it is possible to find both information con�cerning both the German preparations for the war in the province and the course of the war not only in East Prussia, but also on the Western Front – in Belgium or France, the process of reconstruction of the destroyed East Prussian villages and towns and the means of commemorating the fallen soldiers fighting on both sides. The archives of the First World War and its consequences relate to many units. The intention of the author was to present the history of the First World War on the basis of archives assembled in the APO and in the Royal Calendar of Prussian Evangelicals in 1916 and in 1917, stored in the Re�search Centre in Olsztyn. The files stored in the APO are diverse and allow for a comprehensive understanding of issues relating to the course of this war, ranging from mobilization, military operations, Russian occupation, to the crimes and war crimes committed by the aggressor on the local civilian population. A separate aspect touches on the process of reconstruction of the province from the time of destruction and includes the care of war casualties.

The Rebels' Resource Curse: A Theory of Insurgent–Civilian Dynamics

ABSTRACTThe relationship between armed rebels and local civilians is among the least understood aspects of insurgency. This article posits a novel theory, the rebels' resource curse, to argue that the interaction between rebel groups and local communities can be traced to the availability of revenue-generating resources. The theory is developed using a case study comparison approach to critically analyze how access to revenue-generating resources among the Naxalites in India and the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia) in Colombia affect these insurgent-civilian interactions. The theory proposes that insurgents face a resource curse similar to that faced by states. Rather than resource wealth contributing to greater social engagement and fruitful insurgent–civilian interactions, it appears to precipitate isolationist, and even exploitative and violent relations between insurgents and local civilian populations. Conversely, resource scarcity predicts a greater degree of social integration and cohesion between civilians and insurgents. The framework of the rebels' resource curse can also be applied productively to other insurgent groups, enhancing our understanding of the social realities of insurgency.

Non-state Armed Groups as a Threat to Global Security: What Threat, Whose Security?

What kind of security threats do non-state armed groups pose, and to whom? The literature has tended to take the state as a reference point for the study of non-state armed groups: insurgents have long been regarded as domestic military threats, and since 9/11, terrorism has been increasingly treated as a major transnational military threat. Because literature on armed non-state actors typically situates them in the context of war or protracted conflict, the state-centric and militarized view of these groups is rarely contested. However, data on 232 armed groups in twenty-three Asian countries from 1985 to 2014 show that the primary threat such groups most consistently pose is to the human security of local civilian populations, rather than the military security of states. A human security perspective suggests alternatives to military responses, the need for more tailored non-military interventions, and the necessity of improved data collection on non-state armed groups that exist in- and outside the context of conventional war.

Conceptual approaches for treatment of phosgene inhalation-induced lung injury

Toxic industrial chemicals are used throughout the world to produce everyday products such as household and commercial cleaners, disinfectants, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, plastics, paper, and fertilizers. These chemicals are produced, stored, and transported in large quantities, which poses a threat to the local civilian population in cases of accidental or intentional release. Several of these chemicals have no known medical countermeasures for their toxic effects. Phosgene is a highly toxic industrial chemical which was used as a chemical warfare agent in WWI. Exposure to phosgene causes latent, non-cardiogenic pulmonary edema which can result in respiratory failure and death. The mechanisms of phosgene-induced pulmonary injury are not fully identified, and currently there is no efficacious countermeasure. Here, we provide a proposed mechanism of phosgene-induced lung injury based on the literature and from studies conducted in our lab, as well as provide results from studies designed to evaluate survival efficacy of potential therapies following whole-body phosgene exposure in mice. Several therapies were able to significantly increase 24h survival following an LCt50-70 exposure to phosgene; however, no treatment was able to fully protect against phosgene-induced mortality. These studies provide evidence that mortality following phosgene toxicity can be mitigated by neuro- and calcium-regulators, antioxidants, phosphodiesterase and endothelin receptor antagonists, angiotensin converting enzymes, and transient receptor potential cation channel inhibitors. However, because the mechanism of phosgene toxicity is multifaceted, we conclude that a single therapeutic is unlikely to be sufficient to ameliorate the multitude of direct and secondary toxic effects caused by phosgene inhalation.

Military service and lung disease.

Lung diseases associated with military service are often a reflection of the conditions seen in the local civilian population, and with a few notable exceptions, are often related to unique environmental and occupational exposures. This article reviews important pulmonary diseases that have been associated with military service in the past 100 years in a question-and-answer format. Traditionally, bacterial and viral pneumonias were the most common sources of military morbidity and mortality. With improved preventive medicine and antimicrobial therapy, other diseases related to battlefield injuries or inhalational exposures have assumed greater importance. The etiology of military morbidity and mortality has evolved over the past century. Many of the discoveries related to vaccine efficacy, trauma resuscitation, interstitial lung disease, and even carcinomas have a strong military association.

Support to Insurgency and Counter Insurgency Operations

Since the end of the 20th Century the role and ultimate power of states have been diminishing. Once, states were considered untouchable no matter what happened within their borders and no matter who ruled them, but nowadays, international intervention into intra–state affairs has become quite common. Ungoverned, undergoverned, misgoverned and contested areas offer fertile ground for insurgents, extremists, organized crime and warlords to flourish and consequently endanger not only local civilian populations but also the political, security, economic or ideological interests of western powers. Consequently, two separate approaches to intra–state interventions have been developed: backing the government in their fight against the insurgency, such as in Afghanistan, and backing the insurgents in their fight against the government such as in Libya.First, this article will analyze the changed role of the states in the New World Order and define parameters that guide international interventions into the intra–state affairs. Secondly, it will analyze western approaches to insurgency and counter insurgency operations through a case study of NATO operations in Afghanistan and Libya.