Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones, are increasingly touted as ‘humanitarian’ weapons that contribute positively to fighting just wars and saving innocent lives. At the same time, civilian casualties have become the most visible and criticized aspect of drone warfare. It is argu...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Henley-Putnam University
2014-12-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Strategic Security |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol7/iss4/8/ |
| _version_ | 1818567011941220352 |
|---|---|
| author | Dr. Ann Rogers |
| author_facet | Dr. Ann Rogers |
| author_sort | Dr. Ann Rogers |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones, are increasingly touted as ‘humanitarian’ weapons that contribute positively to fighting just wars and saving innocent lives. At the same time, civilian casualties have become the most visible and criticized aspect of drone warfare. It is argued here that drones contribute to civilian casualties not in spite of, but because of, their unique attributes. They greatly extend war across time and space, pulling more potential threats and targets into play over long periods, and because they are low-risk and highly accurate, they are more likely to be used. The assumption that drones save lives obscures a new turn in strategic thinking that sees states such as Israel and the US rely on large numbers of small, highly discriminating attacks applied over time to achieve their objectives. This examination of Israel’s 2014 war in Gaza argues that civilian casualties are not an unexpected or unintended consequence of drone warfare, but an entirely predictable outcome. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:17:58Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-10992f002ecd453b90ca7d35a32adeab |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1944-0464 1944-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T06:17:58Z |
| publishDate | 2014-12-01 |
| publisher | Henley-Putnam University |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Strategic Security |
| spelling | doaj.art-10992f002ecd453b90ca7d35a32adeab2022-12-21T23:13:58ZengHenley-Putnam UniversityJournal of Strategic Security1944-04641944-04722014-12-017494107http://dx.doi.org/10.5038/1944-0472.7.4.7Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in GazaDr. Ann Rogers0Royal Roads UniversityUnmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), better known as drones, are increasingly touted as ‘humanitarian’ weapons that contribute positively to fighting just wars and saving innocent lives. At the same time, civilian casualties have become the most visible and criticized aspect of drone warfare. It is argued here that drones contribute to civilian casualties not in spite of, but because of, their unique attributes. They greatly extend war across time and space, pulling more potential threats and targets into play over long periods, and because they are low-risk and highly accurate, they are more likely to be used. The assumption that drones save lives obscures a new turn in strategic thinking that sees states such as Israel and the US rely on large numbers of small, highly discriminating attacks applied over time to achieve their objectives. This examination of Israel’s 2014 war in Gaza argues that civilian casualties are not an unexpected or unintended consequence of drone warfare, but an entirely predictable outcome.http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol7/iss4/8/Asymmetric warfareCounterinsurgencyCounterterrorismGlobal trends and risksHuman rightsInternational securityIsraelPalestineWar studies |
| spellingShingle | Dr. Ann Rogers Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza Journal of Strategic Security Asymmetric warfare Counterinsurgency Counterterrorism Global trends and risks Human rights International security Israel Palestine War studies |
| title | Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza |
| title_full | Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza |
| title_fullStr | Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza |
| title_full_unstemmed | Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza |
| title_short | Investigating the Relationship Between Drone Warfare and Civilian Casualties in Gaza |
| title_sort | investigating the relationship between drone warfare and civilian casualties in gaza |
| topic | Asymmetric warfare Counterinsurgency Counterterrorism Global trends and risks Human rights International security Israel Palestine War studies |
| url | http://scholarcommons.usf.edu/jss/vol7/iss4/8/ |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT drannrogers investigatingtherelationshipbetweendronewarfareandciviliancasualtiesingaza |