The Yazidi genocide and the imperfect fulfillment of ‘never again’
The article “The Yazidi genocide and the imperfect fulfillment of ‘never again’” reflects on the 2014 ISIS-led genocide against the Yazidi people in northern Iraq and the U.S. military’s rapid response to prevent further atrocities. Written by SFASID’s Sam Russell who while on active duty served at Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, during the crisis, the piece recounts how over 40,000 Yazidis were trapped on Mount Sinjar, facing starvation and death. The U.S. and coalition partners launched a multidomain mass atrocity response operation, combining precision airstrikes, humanitarian airdrops, and coordination with Kurdish forces. Russell emphasizes the logistical complexity of the operation, including nightly missions to deliver food and water, and the deployment of special operations forces alongside a civilian disaster response team. While acknowledging that the response was not perfect, the article argues it was a rare and decisive fulfillment of the promise of “never again,” saving tens of thousands of lives and reshaping how the military approaches mass atrocity prevention.