Analyzing the Impacts of Targeted Killing: Lessons for the United States

A central tool in the United States’ counterterrorism strategy over the past two decades has been the use of remotely piloted aircraft, more commonly known as drones, to target members of Al Qaeda and other associated terrorist groups. These drone strikes have been largely concentrated in northwest Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, although the exact number… Continue reading Analyzing the Impacts of Targeted Killing: Lessons for the United States

Command Responsibility: A Model for Defining Meaningful Human Control

In the relatively near future, the United States and other countries are likely to develop varying levels of artificial intelligence (AI) and integrate it into autonomous weapons. There are significant voices, spearheaded by The Campaign to Ban Killer Robots, advocating for a preemptive ban on these weapons. The opponents of lethal autonomous weapon systems (LAWS)… Continue reading Command Responsibility: A Model for Defining Meaningful Human Control

Dawn of the Intercontinental Sniper: The Drone’s Cascading Contribution to the Modern Battlefield’s Complexity

Stephen L. Schooner and Nathaniel E. Castellano review Richard Whittle’s Predator: The Secret Origins of the Drone Revolution. The authors highlight the cast of quirky characters that drive the narrative element of Whittle’s book while recounting the ethical dilemmas, national security issues, and bureaucratic challenges that attend one of the nation’s most successful weapons development… Continue reading Dawn of the Intercontinental Sniper: The Drone’s Cascading Contribution to the Modern Battlefield’s Complexity