Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict : Ethical, Legal, and Strategic Implications

During the past decade, armed drones have entered the American military arsenal as a core tactic for countering terrorism. When coupled with access to reliable information, they make it possible to deploy lethal force accurately across borders while keeping one’s own soldiers out of harm’s way. The potential to direct force with great precision also offers the possibility of reducing harm to civilians. At the same time, because drones eliminate some of the traditional constraints on the use of force—like the need to gain political support for full mobilization—they lower the threshold for launching military strikes. The development of drone use capacity across dozens of countries increases the need for global standards on the use of these weapons to assure that their deployment is strategically wise and ethically and legally sound. Presenting a robust conversation among leading scholars in the areas of international legal standards, counterterrorism strategy, humanitarian law, and the ethics of force, __Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict__ takes account of current American drone campaigns and the developing legal, ethical, and strategic implications of this new way of warfare. Among the contributions to this volume are a thorough examination of the American government’s legal justifications for the targeting of enemies using drones, an analysis of American drone campaigns’ notable successes and failures, and a discussion of the linked issues of human rights, freedom of information, and government accountability. Presenting A Robust Conversation Among Leading Scholars In The Areas Of International Legal Standards, Counterterrorism Strategy, Humanitarian Law, And The Ethics Of Force, This Book Takes Account Of Current American Drone Campaigns And The Developing Legal, Ethical, And Strategic Implications Of This New Way Of Warfare. Preface: Coming To Terms With Drones / Christof Heyns -- Assessing The Debate On Drone Warfare / David Cortright And Rachel Fairhurst -- The Morality Of Drone Warfare / Jennifer M. Welsh -- Drone Warfare And Military Ethics / Dr. Martin L. Cook -- International Law And Drone Attacks Beyond Armed Conflict Zones / Mary Ellen O'connell -- Drone Strikes And The Law : From Bush-era Detention To Obama-era Targeted Killing / Karen J. Greenberg -- Justifying The Right To Kill : Problems Of Law, Transparency, And Accountability / Pardiss Kebriaei -- The Strategic Implications Of Targeted Drone Strikes For Us Global Counterterrorism / Audrey Kurth Cronin -- Security Implications Of Drones In Warfare / Patrick B. Johnston -- Winning Without War: Evaluating Military And Nonmilitary Strategies For Countering Terrorism / David Cortright And Rachel Fairhurst -- Targeted Killings And Secret Law: Drones And The Atrophy Of Political Restraints On The War Power / Mary Dudziak -- Understanding The Gulf Between Public And Us Government Estimates Of Civilian Casualties In Covert Drone Strikes / Chris Woods -- The Myth Of Precision: Human Rights, Drones, And The Case Of Pakistan / Rafia Zakaria -- Conclusion: The Future Of Drone Warfare: Research Challenges And Policy Options / David Cortright And Rachel Fairhurst. David Cortright, Rachel Fairhurst, And Kristen Wall. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Contents......Page 6 Preface: Coming to Terms with Drones (Christof Heyns)......Page 8 Chapter 1. Assessing the Debate on Drone Warfare (David Cortright and Rachel Fairhurst)......Page 14 Chapter 2. The Morality of “Drone Warfare” (Jennifer M. Welsh)......Page 37 Chapter 3. Drone Warfare and Military Ethics (Dr. Martin L. Cook)......Page 59 Chapter 4. International Law and Drone Attacks beyond Armed Conflict Zones (Mary Ellen O’Connell)......Page 76 Chapter 5. Drone Strikes and the Law: From Bush-Era Detention to Obama-Era Targeted Killing (Karen J. Greenberg)......Page 87 Chapter 6. Justifying the Right to Kill: Problems of Law, Transparency, and Accountability (Pardiss Kebriaei)......Page 101 Chapter 7. The Strategic Implications of Targeted Drone Strikes for US Global Counterterrorism (Audrey Kurth Cronin)......Page 112 Chapter 8. Security Implications of Drones in Warfare (Patrick B. Johnston)......Page 134 Chapter 9. Winning without War: Evaluating Military and Nonmilitary Strategies for Countering Terrorism (David Cortright and Rachel Fairhurst)......Page 155 Chapter 10. Targeted Killings and Secret Law: Drones and the Atrophy of Political Restraints on the War Power (Mary Dudziak)......Page 176 Chapter 11. Understanding the Gulf between Public and US Government Estimates of Civilian Casualties in Covert Drone Strikes (Chris Woods)......Page 193 Chapter 12. The Myth of Precision: Human Rights, Drones, and the Case of Pakistan (Rafia Zakaria)......Page 212 Conclusion: The Future of Drone Warfare: Research Challenges and Policy Options (David Cortright and Rachel Fairhurst)......Page 226 Notes......Page 236 List of Contributors......Page 296 Index......Page 298 "During the past decade, armed drones have entered the American military arsenal as a core tactic for countering terrorism. When coupled with access to reliable information, they make it possible to deploy lethal force accurately across borders while keeping one's own soldiers out of harm's way. The potential to direct force with great precision also offers the possibility of reducing harm to civilians. At the same time, because drones eliminate some of the traditional constraints on the use of force - like the need to gain political support for full mobilization - they lower the threshold for launching military strikes. The development of drone use capacity across dozens of countries increases the need for global standards on the use of these weapons to assure that their deployment is strategically wise and ethically and legally sound. Presenting a robust conversation among leading scholars in the areas of international legal standards, counterterrorism strategy, humanitarian law, and the ethics of force, Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict takes account of current American drone campaigns and the developing legal, ethical, and strategic implications of this new way of warfare. Among the contributions to this volume are a thorough examination of the American government's legal justifications for the targeting of enemies using drones, an analysis of American drone campaigns' notable successes and failures, and a discussion of the linked issues of human rights, freedom of information, and government accountability"--Unedited summary from book jacket Présentation de l'éditeur : "During the past decade, armed drones have entered the American military arsenal as a core tactic for countering terrorism. When coupled with access to reliable information, they make it possible to deploy lethal force accurately across borders while keeping one's own soldiers out of harm's way. The potential to direct force with great precision also offers the possibility of reducing harm to civilians. At the same time, because drones eliminate some of the traditional constraints on the use of force-like the need to gain political support for full mobilization-they lower the threshold for launching military strikes. The development of drone use capacity across dozens of countries increases the need for global standards on the use of these weapons to assure that their deployment is strategically wise and ethically and legally sound. Presenting a robust conversation among leading scholars in the areas of international legal standards, counterterrorism strategy, humanitarian law, and the ethics of force, Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict takes account of current American drone campaigns and the developing legal, ethical, and strategic implications of this new way of warfare. Among the contributions to this volume are a thorough examination of the American government's legal justifications for the targeting of enemies using drones, an analysis of American drone campaigns' notable successes and failures, and a discussion of the linked issues of human rights, freedom of information, and government accountability." During the past decade, drones have become central to American military strategy. When coupled with access to accurate information, drones make it possible to deploy lethal force across borders while keeping one's own soldiers out of harm's way. The potential to direct force with great precision also offers the possibility of reducing harm to civilians. At the same time, because drones eliminate some of the traditional constraints on the use of force-like the need to gain political support for full mobilization-they lower the threshold for launching military strikes. The development of drone use capacity across dozens of countries increases the need for global standards on the use of these weapons to assure their deployment is strategically wise and ethically and legally sound. Presenting a robust conversation among leading scholars in the areas of international legal standards, counter-terrorism strategy, humanitarian law, and the ethics of force, Drones and the Future of Armed Conflict takes account of current American drone campaigns and the developing legal, ethical, and strategic implications of this new way of warfare. Among the contributions to this volume are a thorough examination of the American government's legal justifications for the targeting of enemies using drones, an analysis of American drone campaigns' notable successes and failures, and a discussion of the linked issues of human rights, freedom of information, and government accountability