Report of an Independent Task Force

By providing an intermediate option between "don't shoot" and "shoot," the Task Force observes, nonlethal weapons (NLW) have enormous potential in the new military roles of modern combat. Wider integration of existing types of NLW into the U.S. Army and Marine Corps could have helped to reduce the damage done by widespread looting and sabotage after the cessation of major conflict in Iraq. This Independent Task Force report on Nonlethal Weapons and Capabilities finds that incorporating these and additional forms of nonlethal capabilities into the equipment, training, and doctrine of the armed services could substantially improve U.S. military effectiveness.