‘Outside the wire’: Brereton and the dehumanization of Afghan civilians

This article investigates two registers of dehumanization in the Brereton Report. It begins with Afghan civilians that is reflected Report, which alleges SOTG personnel adopted a liberal interpretation rules engagement to justify using lethal force against civilians. Drawing on work Judith Butler and Sara Ahmed, we draw attention gendered racialized assumptions constituted people as potential threat, worked enable excuse violence inflicted upon them. At same time, argue Report reproduces reinforces these dehumanizing its decision not investigate split second decisions made ‘heat battle’. We language used this omission orientalist tropes about Afghanistan an dangerous, perilous ungovernable space, helped normalize people.