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Author: Robert Donaldson Publisher: ISBN: Category : Military weapons (International law) Languages : en Pages : 105
Book Description
"In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the US has been conducting covert targeted killing operations against al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other associated forces located in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Using remotely piloted aircraft, also known as drones, the US has been able to bring lethal justice to those responsible for the 9/11 attacks by killing America's enemies in this territory in northwestern Pakistan, and with much tactical success. One report has noted that since 2004, more than 550 alleged terrorists have been killed by US drone strikes to include the infamous leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud. Lauded by politicians and loathed by our enemies, American drones have offered quick strikes, and measurable results, all under a blanket of secrecy. Despite the tactical success and political embrace of the covert drone strike program, however, there is evidence to suggest that their employment has come at the greater expense of violating international legal standards that regulate a state's use of lethal force. America's drone strike policy comes in the face of intense US criticism that has likened American drone strikes to terrorist acts themselves, and extrajudicial killings, assassinations in violation of international law. Despite the public outcry from the international commun ity, to date the US has failed to articulate in any detail satisfying to its critics the lawfulness of its actions. The stepped up pace of American drone strikes coupled with the international criticism, in the face of American silence, on the lawfulness of its actions has made the legal analysis of US drone strikes in Pakistan's FATA that more pressing. This study comprises a look at the international laws that are implicated by US drone strikes in Pakistan's FATA. These laws include Human Rights Law, the law of interstate force, and International Humanitarian Law. The American drone strikes in Pakistan have been evaluated for their compliance with these legal standards and the conclusion is that the US drone strikes in Pakistan are unlawful. Such violations have negative implications on the future of America's relations with the international community"--Abstract.
Author: Robert Donaldson Publisher: ISBN: Category : Military weapons (International law) Languages : en Pages : 105
Book Description
"In response to the terrorist attacks of 9/11, the US has been conducting covert targeted killing operations against al-Qaeda, the Taliban and other associated forces located in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Using remotely piloted aircraft, also known as drones, the US has been able to bring lethal justice to those responsible for the 9/11 attacks by killing America's enemies in this territory in northwestern Pakistan, and with much tactical success. One report has noted that since 2004, more than 550 alleged terrorists have been killed by US drone strikes to include the infamous leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Baitullah Mehsud. Lauded by politicians and loathed by our enemies, American drones have offered quick strikes, and measurable results, all under a blanket of secrecy. Despite the tactical success and political embrace of the covert drone strike program, however, there is evidence to suggest that their employment has come at the greater expense of violating international legal standards that regulate a state's use of lethal force. America's drone strike policy comes in the face of intense US criticism that has likened American drone strikes to terrorist acts themselves, and extrajudicial killings, assassinations in violation of international law. Despite the public outcry from the international commun ity, to date the US has failed to articulate in any detail satisfying to its critics the lawfulness of its actions. The stepped up pace of American drone strikes coupled with the international criticism, in the face of American silence, on the lawfulness of its actions has made the legal analysis of US drone strikes in Pakistan's FATA that more pressing. This study comprises a look at the international laws that are implicated by US drone strikes in Pakistan's FATA. These laws include Human Rights Law, the law of interstate force, and International Humanitarian Law. The American drone strikes in Pakistan have been evaluated for their compliance with these legal standards and the conclusion is that the US drone strikes in Pakistan are unlawful. Such violations have negative implications on the future of America's relations with the international community"--Abstract.
Author: Sikander Ahmed Shah Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1134074344 Category : Law Languages : en Pages : 262
Book Description
While conventional warfare has an established body of legal precedence, the legality of drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan and elsewhere remains ambiguous. This book explores the legal and political issues surrounding the use of drones in Pakistan. Drawing from international treaty law, customary international law, and statistical data on the impact of the strikes, Sikander Ahmed Shah asks whether drone strikes by the United States in Pakistan are in compliance with international humanitarian law. The book questions how international law views the giving of consent between States for military action, and explores what this means for the interaction between sovereignty and consent. The book goes on to look at the socio-political realities of drone strikes in Pakistan, scrutinizing the impact of drone strikes on both Pakistani politics and US-Pakistan relationships. Topics include the Pakistan army-government relationship, the evolution of international institutions as a result of drone strikes, and the geopolitical dynamics affecting the region. As a detailed and critical examination of the legal and political challenges presented by drone strikes, this book will be essential to scholars and students of the law of armed conflict, security studies, political science and international relations.
Author: Imdad Ullah Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1000372332 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 176
Book Description
This book analyses the US drone attacks against terrorists in Pakistan to assess whether the ‘pre-emptive’ use of combat drones to kill terrorists is ever legally justified. Exploring the doctrinal discourse of pre-emption vis-à-vis the US drone attacks against terrorists in Pakistan, the book shows that the debate surrounding this discourse encapsulates crucial tensions between the permission and limits of the right of self-defence. Drawing from the long history of God-given and man-made laws of war, this book employs positivism as a legal frame to explore and explain the doctrine of pre-emption and analyses the doctrine of the state’s rights to self-defence as it stretches into pre-emptive or preventive use of force. The book investigates why the US chose the recourse to pre-emption through the use of combat drones in the ‘war on terror’ and whether there is a potential future for the pre-emption of terrorism through combat drones. The author argues that the policy to ‘kill first’ is easy to adopt; however, any disregard for the web of legal requirements surrounding the policy has the potential to undercut the legal claims of an armed act. The book enables the framing and analysis of such controversies in legal terms as opposed to a choice between law and policy. An examination of the legal dilemma concerning drone warfare, this book will be of interest to academics in the fields of international relations, Asian politics, South Asian studies, and security studies, in particular, global security law, new wars, and emerging technologies of warfare.
Author: Eike Christian Behrensen Publisher: GRIN Verlag ISBN: 3668526532 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 29
Book Description
Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Politics - International Politics - Topic: Peace and Conflict Studies, Security, grade: 1.0, Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, language: English, abstract: Since as early as 2004 the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has been conducting drone strikes in Pakistan. The declared targets are terrorists and militants present in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). When asked about these drone strikes in Pakistan, the United States Government claims, that “there hasn’t been a single collateral death because of the exceptional proficiency, precision of the capabilities we’ve been able to develop.” At the same time, according to widely cited databases, compiled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism 424 to 969 civilians have been killed in U.S. drone strikes. It has to be noted that for years, the US Government did not publically admit to conducting drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen or Somalia. This is due to the fact that strikes in these countries are not conducted by the US Military, but rather by the CIA. The majority of the information revolving around these strikes is classified and not accessible to the public. How targets are chosen, what the official policy on civilian casualties is, or how many strikes were actually conducted is unknown. Much of the information concerning government perspectives, policies and programs comes from anonymous sources, who have leaked data to major news outlets. The first chapter will focus on the main area where these drone strikes are conducted, the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) of Pakistan. The area will be introduced to the reader and a historic context for the present conflict and struggle will be given. The specifics of the US drone program will be outlined in the second chapter. Like already mentioned, much on the information regarding the program and conducted strikes is classified. Nevertheless, with the publically available information an overview will be given. The third chapter will provide essential information on the impact of drone strikes on Pakistani civilians, which is necessary to answer the research question “How have US Drone Strikes impacted Pakistani Civilians?” To deepen the understanding of the correlation between drone strikes and subsequent terrorist attacks, which cause additional hardship in the civilian population, strike data will be analyzed in the fourth chapter. The report will conclude in the fifth chapter, where a final overview on the topic will be given and the research question stated earlier will be answered with the gained information [...]
Author: Waseem Zeab Khan Publisher: EduPedia Publications ISBN: 1511743573 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 85
Book Description
The drone attacks started in Pakistan in 2004 under the Bush presidency, and are still operating, targeting the so-called ‘High value’ targets. But the high value targets are not achieved, but the local Taliban, and many civilians are being killed in these covert drone strikes. It is noteworthy that, Obama administration has increased these drone strikes in Pakistan as compared to that of Bush administration. President Obama has adopted the policy of ‘to kill and not to capture’ to pursue the high value targets or al-Qaeda members which have taken asylum in some areas of Pakistan. But this policy had caused many civilian casualties, and also destroyed the Pakistan’s sovereignty. The covert drone strikes in Pakistan are conducted by CIA which is not the part of the US army. Many innocent civilians are being killed in these covert drone strikes. Besides loss of life, many people in the drone affected areas had lost their houses and shops in these covert drone strikes. It has been established by many independent research organizations that the covert drone operations cause the civilian casualties, but CIA and the US government has rejected this notion, and the US presidency has shrouded the CIA’s covert drone operations, killing civilians, from congress and courts. The news agencies in the US are given orders, not to show the civilian casualties as it could cause hatred of American people against the US government. This is so because the US government does not want to lose support of its people.
Author: Marcel Reymond Publisher: GRIN Verlag ISBN: 3656298343 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 20
Book Description
Essay from the year 2012 in the subject Politics - Region: USA, grade: A-, Webster University (International Relations), course: The United States and its drone program in Pakistan, language: English, abstract: The United States of America’s current lethal drone policy is still shrouded in mystery and complexity: little official information is accessible to the public. This document, therefore, could only raise a certain number of issues. If there were a document detailing the said policy, it could not be found. This paper has had to rely on other various sources to expose the policy elements. It focuses on the war theater in Pakistan/Afghanistan and the drone policy’s lethal elements. Firstly, the paper will delve into the development of the U.S. drone program and the controversial use of an automatized lethal process. Secondly, it will consider elements from the political sphere that shaped the current policy. Thirdly, it will analyze the implication of public opinion in Pakistan and the U.S. Fourthly, the paper will highlight a few of the legal aspects that influenced the drone policy before drawing a conclusion. The most discussed element influencing the drone policy of the U.S has been freely interpreted as the information relating to the matter remains scarce and mostly unofficial. What looked, at first, like a classic security versus democracy dilemma added to a member of the U.S. intelligence community seemingly out of control, a Department of Defense (DoD) with hardly any oversight, gave rise, surprisingly, to a quite controlled but executive branch driven process. One cannot ascertain however whether the safeguards in place, were operative and respected whilst the lethal drone program was progressing.
Author: Open Society Foundations Publisher: ISBN: Category : Civilian war casualties Languages : en Pages : 29
Book Description
U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan are estimated to have killed well over 2,000 individuals, including an unknown number of civilians. Despite long-voiced concern over civilian harm, and U.S. officials' promises of greater transparency, the United States has clearly and consistently failed to account for and provide redress and compensation for civilian harm from these strikes. Pakistan, however, could also be doing much more to improve transparency and accountability, and provide compensation for civilian harm in the absence of redress from the U.S. government. Based on investigations of 27 separate U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, and interviews with current and former U.S. and Pakistani officials, the report documents civilian casualties and analyzes the broader threats of militancy and military operations in areas affected by drones. Despite Pakistan's strong public opposition to U.S. drone strikes, and the United States' promises on transparency, neither government has addressed the losses suffered by civilians. The report concludes that the U.S. and Pakistani governments should create mechanisms to investigate civilian harm from drone strikes and provide compensation to victims.
Author: Steven J. Barela Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1317105877 Category : Technology & Engineering Languages : en Pages : 461
Book Description
Unmanned combat air vehicles, or in common parlance 'drones', have become a prominent instrument in US efforts to counter an objective (and subjective) cross-border terrorist threat with lethal force. As a result, critical questions abound on the legitimacy of their use. In a series of multidisciplinary essays by scholars with an extensive knowledge of international norms, this book explores the question of legitimacy through the conceptual lenses of legality, morality and efficacy, it then closes with the consideration of a policy proposal aimed at incorporating all three indispensable elements. The importance of this inquiry cannot be overstated. Non-state actors fully understand that attacking the much more powerful state requires moving the conflict away from the traditional battlefield where they are at an enormous disadvantage. Those engaging in terrorism seek to goad the ruling government into an overreaction, or abuse of power, to trigger a destabilization via an erosion of its legitimacy. Thus defending the target of legitimacy”in this case, insuring the use of deadly force is constrained by valid limiting principles”represents an essential strategic interest. This book seeks to come to grips with the new reality of drone warfare by exploring if it can be used to preserve, rather than eat away at, legitimacy. After an extensive analysis of the three key parameters in twelve chapters, the practical proposition of establishing a 'Drone Court' is put forward and examined as a way of pursuing the goal of integrating these essential components to defend the citizenry and the legitimacy of the government at the same time.
Author: Lawrence L. Lewis Publisher: Government Printing Office ISBN: 9780997317435 Category : History Languages : en Pages : 260
Book Description
"This volume is a collection of four reports that collectively address these issues by exploring the themes of legitimacy, civilian protection, and national security interests. They address questions in the modern counterterrorism context.This volume provides concrete recommendations for policy makers as well as military commanders, a number of which have, since the time of its writing, been incorporated into the recent U.S. policy guidelines related to civilian casualties. Although this volume focuses specifically on current counterterrorism practices, its analysis, frameworks, and conclusions can be applied in varying degrees to emerging technologies as well. These considerations can help a government ensure that its use of force is not only effective, but also responsible and consonant with its larger interests."--Provided by publisher.
Author: Robert Donaldson
Author: Robert Donaldson
Author: Sikander Ahmed Shah
Author: Imdad Ullah
Author: Eike Christian Behrensen
Author: Sam Osborne
Author: Waseem Zeab Khan 
Author: Marcel Reymond
Author: Open Society Foundations
Author: Steven J. Barela
Author: Lawrence L. Lewis