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

The Evolution of Law and Policy for CIA Targeted Killing

Just suppose. The Attorney General, lanky as the President, walks into the Oval Office to join a meeting. The top law enforcement officer is slumped down with apparent bad news. He avoids eye contact with the Commander-in-Chief. “Mr. President,” he says looking down at the coffee table, “the ACLU believes our drone program is illegal.” Silence.