Dangers Of Drones Research Paper

Drones already carry a negative, political connotation. The breaches in sovereignty are a major political issue for involved countries. Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan are examples of the United States’ willingness to conduct military strikes without the consent of the governing body within the country. Furthermore, targeted killings are essentially a means for assassinations, which were prohibited under the Reagan administration. However, this fact is abated, as the killing of Anwar Al-Awlaki (US Citizen) demonstrated. Given all this information, would the usage of US drones in Iraq only perpetuate more violence, or bring stability to the region? This report will seek to answer this question. Utilizing an interview with an Associate Professor of Homeland Security at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU), Professor Bonner, as a primary source of research, along with secondary sources from accredited cites, this report will explore the dynamics of the drone program as it pertains to the current situation in Iraq.

Top counterterrorist advisors from both the Bush and Obama administrations champion drone use as the most effective tool in the war on terror. They are relatively cheap, effective at killing terrorist with minimal civilian casualties. They protect US troops by preventing “boots on the ground” scenarios and ultimately make America safer. Former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta is quoted as say, “the only game in town in terms of trying to disrupt the al Qaeda leadership” An important question to ask is: Are these short term advantages worth the long term repercussions. Michael J Boyle examines this question in, “The Cost and Consequences of Drone Warfare.” He first question the validity of the claim that drones are effective at killing

Picture your dearest family member out in the battlefield, struggling for dear life. Only being supported by a jug of water and a rifle until a drone appears with medical supplies or reinforcements. Every year technology advances at an increasingly hypersonic pace. The world has gone from the use of bulky telephones to six-inch touch screens. Soon the world will come from using innocent lives to fight for our country to the use of drones in warfare. Thousands of lives each year are cast away in order to protect our country. Drones could be the answer to finding terrorists in Pakistan or Yemen and stop them before they attack. The United States should continue the use of drones in warfare.

Drones have been one of the most controversial Military topics in the past ten years. Drones are planes that can be controlled by someone from many miles away. In the past few years, drones have been killing terrorists in the Middle East without putting U.S. military lives in danger. The United States Military should increase use of Drones because they can go places that are unsafe for a human, and save not only a soldier’s life, but also cost less money to manufacture than supplying ground troops and air troops.

The effectiveness of drones to kill terrorists is well documented. Over the last four years, the Obama administration has signed off on over 400 drone strikes. (Why Drones Work, 1) Many senior terrorist leaders have been killed and many terrorist groups have been denied access to their sanctuaries. These drone strikes have been relatively inexpensive in cost of materials, caused low numbers of civilian casualties, and were risk-free for United States forces. (Why Drones Work, 1) However, even though the use of drone strikes has these proven advantages, several disadvantages are

Fortunately, drone strikes are known for being some of the most deadly weapons in the U.S.’s large arsenal. Drones are valued for their endurance, being capable of loitering above a target for days (Source A) due to their lightweight fuselage and fuel-efficient motors. They are also prized for the precision they can demonstrate, having the capability to “kill a person in one room of a house and spare the lives of people in other rooms” (Source A). This is not a feat that can be accomplished by traditional medium- and fighter-bomber aircraft often used in the same roles drones are working to replace. Drones are also capable of minimizing infantry and pilot casualties by keeping them out of the way of hostile snipers, firefights, suicide bombers, antiaircraft fire, landmines, and weather conditions (Source J).

Warfare is an ever evolving aspect to human nature. Throughout human history, man has always invented new ways to kill one another. With the new current war on terrorism this idea still holds true. With recent advances in robotics, mankind has developed a new type of warfare. This new type of asymmetric warfare is fought against individuals that do not wear a uniform or have a sponsored country. This condition has made for a new type of weapon system to fight this type of warfare. These new weapons to fight the current war are called drones. “These drones provide a real time solution for the new faster paced warfare” (Rienhart). There is a lot of debate on the current use of drones in warfare and if they should be used to kill. Some of the debated topics include: success rate, civilian casualties, legality, cost and the lack of human boots on the ground. The drone has provided an answer to the new high tempo of the current war and is having “great success on disabling the terrorist networks around the Globe” (Rienhart). This is why our country must continue to use and develop our drone program to stay ahead of our enemies and take advantage of this new weapon.

Have you ever been watching a sports game and wish you could have a better view on the game or heard of a natural disaster and heard of unfound people and wish there was a solution? Well there is, drones. Drones can be useful in many circumstances and some of those circumstances are searching for missing people during natural disasters, security and security cameras and for news sports and more television related media. Drones should be allowed almost everywhere, they can have a positive impact and even save lives.

The automation of the modern battlefield and the proliferation of unmanned systems to conduct war is a reality and imaginably it will only increase in the future. As these new weapon systems make their way to the battlefield it will require leaders to decide how to responsibly employ these systems and how often they will be used in substitution of actual Soldiers. The benefits and effectiveness of drones cannot be denied. The use of drones does limit the exposure of American Soldiers and the accuracy of drones to kill the enemy and limit civilian casualties does and will continue to improve.

Drones use smaller bombs than F-16’s and have more precise strikes. “ And compared with a 500- pound bomb dropped from an F-16, the grenade like warheads carried by most drones create smaller, more precise blast zones that decrease the risk of unexpected structural damage and casualties” (Brookings). Instead of sending troops or a fighter jet in to kill the terrorists, drones can more effectively kill them without destroying cities and killing innocent people. Also, drones target people on a “kill list” and are capable of following after the group and killing them without damage. In the article it states, “Drone strikes typically target individuals who have been placed on a “kill list” by the administration in a secret process that is not subject to oversight or transparency”(Understanding Drones). Drones can target and follow the person or group they want to kill instead of just blowing up a whole area, which means more civilian casualties. Furthermore, the United States’ allies support drone strikes because of fewer casualties. In the text it states, “It is also telling that drones have earned the backing, albeit secret, of foreign governments” (Brookings). U.S drone strikes help countries such as Pakistan and Yemen by targeting common enemies. Drones cause fewer casualties and damage than other military

When talking about drones- I think it’s safe to say we all have different perceptions of what drones are and how they’re used based on how we are first introduced to them. Others can see them as a technology invention used to take jaw dropping landscapes from places we can’t reach, to others thinking it’s an invention that we can possibly use in the future to drop off items bought online in front of your house or to other individuals, drones can used for warfare purposes, as a defense or as a surveillance against other enemies. Drones popularity and interest has increasingly grown through the years, as it has been a work in progress for quite some time beginning to be created and intended to be used as a weapon used in previous wars and then on to becoming a device that allows others to use for different purposes. Based by the scholarly articles, newspapers, book pages, and journals collected- it has shown both negative and positive aspects of drone usage and how it may affect the future.

Despite the cost, drones have become a vital part of modern American warfare because of their ability to precisely target threats and remove the emotions of military away from the battlefield. Drones have become both appropriate and necessary pieces of technology as the United States continues to fight the war on terrorism. This new technology allows for improvements in warfare as it reduces harm to all individuals involved. Unlike other mechanisms previously used in war, drones are used as a means of self-defense for our country but do not put the lives of our soldiers at risk, as they are unmanned aerial vehicles. Because drones are unmanned, they have the ability to limit excessive civilian casualties and pose less of a risk to the soldiers

Whether they are for surveillance or attack purposes, drones have their benefits. Some of those advantages, as listed out by Bommarito is his article, include mass destruction, surveillance of acts of known criminals, and they can be used to “monitor traffic patterns, violations of environmental protection rules, building code violations, improper building activities, safety issues, etc.” Some uncomplicated pros of drones would be their low risk, accuracy, and effectiveness when it comes to spying. Drones are more commonly known as crucial mechanisms in the military, because they are used to spy on enemy bases from a distance without putting soldiers on foot and at risk. However, the surveillance characteristic of these drones has also brought about new discoveries of our society such as that of

The United States reckons that drones allow the U.S. military workforces to be safer. UAV’s are launched from bases in allied countries and are controlled remotely by navigators stationed in the U.S., which reduces the threat of injury and death that would transpire if ground soldiers and airplane pilots were used during combat instead. Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups usually work in far away locations where it would be exceedingly hazardous for the United States to deploy special force teams to find and arrest terrorists. These searches may pose severe dangers to U.S. soldiers due to the threat of their being land mines, suicide bombers, unforgiving environments, involved in these confrontations. Drone raids remove all of the risks that are common with “boots on the ground” missions.

Drones are unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs, which are operated remotely via satellite and have various uses such as surveillance, reconnaissance and perhaps the most controversial use which is utilizing drones to deliver air strikes. Military drones, which are used to eliminate both imminent and potential terrorist threats are extremely beneficial for the war against terror. They are much more efficient at delivering airstrikes when compared to their alternatives while simultaneously instilling fear in the minds of the militants. Critics claim drone strikes cause avoidable civilian casualties and psychological torture. However, the benefits substantially outweigh the drawbacks as drones are the better than their alternatives, they prevent the most civilian casualties compared to their counterparts, deliver devastating blows to terrorist organizations and are the best course of action to initiate positive change in countries like Pakistan.