Nonlethal Weapons and Capabilities: Independent Task Force Report

America’s military forces, while superbly capable of countering a defined enemy in intense combat, are not properly trained or supported for their current roles in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq. If they are to prevent looting and sabotage, control crowds, stop uncooperative vehicles in an urban environment, and protect themselves in stabilization and reconstruction activities, U.S. forces will require new tools and proper training to accomplish their objectives without harming innocent people or destroying civil infrastructure. This independent task force (composed of former military officers, business executives, scholars, and government officials) believes that if more nonlethal weapons had been available to military and security forces in these countries, many conflicts could have been minimized or even avoided. Incorporating nonlethal weapons capabilities - such as nets to entangle and stop vehicles, slippery spray, rubber ball projectiles, and electroconvulsive weapons - into the equipment, doctrine, and training of the U.S. armed forces would substantially improve military effectiveness. This report is a valuable resource on an important but underappreciated subject.