Newshour looks at the rapid expansion in the use of drone technology in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, and asks whether unmanned warfare needs new rules of engagement. Source: BBC World Service – Newshour Special: Drones
GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS CLAIM they’re ultra-precise killing machines that never, ever miss their targets. Outside groups say they’re covered in children’s blood. The fact is no one has a clue exactly how many militants and how many innocents have been slain in the U.S. drone war that spans from Pakistan to Somalia. Remember that before you…
For weeks, politicians in European capitals and in the U.S. have debated how, and if, they should assist Syrian rebels fighting the regime of President Bashar Assad. The mounting civilian toll — more than 23,000 dead and more than a million displaced, according to the U.N. — has led many to argue that inaction is…
The damaging impact of civilian casualties on combat operations is not a new lesson, but it is one that US defense forces have had to continually relearn. Historically, civilian protection and efforts to address harm become priorities only when external pressures demand attention. As the Pentagon reshapes its defenses and fighting force for the next…
Abandoned weapons that were once part of toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s arsenal pose an ongoing and serious threat to civilians in Libya, warned a report published by Harvard University on Thursday. “These weapons may have been abandoned, but their ability to harm civilians remains intact,” said Bonnie Docherty, leader of the research team sent to…
In his July 7 op-ed, “Libya becomes a democracy,” Libyan Ambassador Ali Suleiman Aujali promised that “Libyans will never forget America’s leadership and commitment to protect civilians during the revolution,” but civilians need more than just memories of protection. The new Libyan government should make the explicit commitment to protect its own citizens going forward.…
This post originally appeared in the Huffington Post. Qaddafi is gone and NATO’s command center in Naples is closed, but on the legacy of the intervention in Libya, the debate has just begun. Allegations of civilians harmed are haunting NATO as nations opposed to the intervention—namely Russia, China and South Africa—point fingers about civilian casualties…
At last, the long war against Voldemort and his army of Death Eaters has been brought to a responsible end. A short time ago, just a small band of brave witches and wizards at Hogwarts School stood between the dark forces and their ascension to power. Now their evil leader is dead, his armies are…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G—HJwiyzQ