Nexus - 1903 - New Times Magazine-pages

Page Content (OCR)

DRONE WARS A BRIEFING DOCUMENT 'ARS BRIEFING DOCUMENT The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in conflict arenas is increasing at an alarming rate, and technological developments are producing systems that are not only autonomous but self-aware. It’s time for some serious public debate. Introduction en years ago, the United States Air Force successfully launched a missile from a Predator drone for the first time at a test range in the Nevada desert.'_ While unmanned aerial vehicles [UAVs] or "drones", as they are commonly known, had previously been used in military operations for reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting purposes, this was a significant point in the evolution of military drones. Just months later, in the aftermath of 9/11, the first operational armed strike by a remote-controlled unmanned drone took place in Afghanistan when a ClA-operated Predator drone attacked al-Oaeda leader Mohammed Atef. According to media reports, Atef was killed along with seven other people.’ Since that first attack, the use of armed drones has risen, slowly at first bu more dramatically since 2009, to the point where at times drone strikes are almost a daily occurrence. In 2011, the use of drones continued to rise, with drone strikes in at leas six countries: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Gaza.’ The vast majority of these strikes were carried out by the United States. The UK also uses armed drones, announcing in September 2011 that it had reached the "landmark" of 200 drone strikes in Afghanistan. Israel continued to use armed drones in the Occupied Territories, and the Italian Air Force flew Reaper drones during the Libyan conflict. With both the United States and the UK stating that they are to double the size of their drone fleets, and with 50 countries reportedly developing or buying unmanned aerial vehicles, drone strikes can only increase. As the use of drones expands, however, controversy about their use also grows. Supporters of armed drones argue that their ability to loiter over a particular area with their highly accurate sensors and cameras gives the ability to have increased control over when and where to strike, thus enabling greater accuracy and less "collateral damage". Opponents argue that by removing one of the key restraints to warfare—the risk to one's own forces— unmanned systems make undertaking armed attacks too easy and will make war more likely. The "persistent presence” of drones over a particular area looking for suspicious behaviour and “targets of opportunity" is also leading, it is suggested, to large numbers of civilian casualties, while legal experts and human rights organisations condemn the rise in targeted extrajudicial killing enabled by the use of armed drones. Despite the increased use of armed drones—and the controversy surrounding their use—accessible, accurate and reliable information about drones, about how they are being used and about future developments remains difficult to find. In particular, details of how armed drones are actually being used in conflicts remain shrouded in secrecy. To counter this, Drone Wars UK has published the "Drone Wars Briefing”. The use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in conflict arenas is increasing at an alarming rate, and technological developments are producing systems that are not only autonomous but self-aware. It’s time for some serious public debate. by Chris Cole © January 2012 An edited extract from “Drone Wars Briefing” Drone Wars UK 20 Wilkins Road Oxford, OX4 2HX, UK Email: info@dronewars.net Website: http://www.dronewars.net An edited extract from “Drone Wars Briefing” Drone Wars UK 20 Wilkins Road Oxford, OX4 2HX, UK Email: info@dronewars.net Website: http://www.dronewars.net APRIL - MAY 2012 NEXUS ° II www.nexusmagazine.com