Drone Strikes Under Scrutiny

“Officials say they only target belligerents covered by the 2001 legislation, but the public has no way of knowing under what criteria these targets are chosen.”

What classifies belligerent? People under the influence of alcohol are often called belligerent, but I am sure this is not what the United States government means by targeting “belligerents.” This definitional claim does not make it clear who drones are trying to target. Is it intoxicated college kids or those affiliated with the Taliban that are the belligerents?

“The United States has conducted more than 400 total strikes in at least three countries — Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia — killing more than 3,000 people in its war on Al Qaeda…. The majority killed were part of a C.I.A. covert program begun in 2004 and aimed at militants in Pakistan.”

Aside from the ill-defined word, militant, they were the targets of the covert program. However, it is unclear whether the 3,000 killed could have been actual targets or not. The big number suggests that they were wrongly killed, but it is still unclear, due to the vague definition of militant.

“At a minimum, United States rules should specify that no one can be killed unless actively planning or participating in terror, or helping lead the Taliban in Pakistan or Al Qaeda. Killing should be authorized only when it can be demonstrated that capture is impossible. Standards for preventing the killing of innocents who might be nearby should be detailed and thorough.”

This is the first detailed claim in the entire article. It attempts to make clear who the drones should be targeting. Drone targets should be those affiliated with terror groups, such as Al Qaeda or the Taliban, when other means of controlling them is not feasible. The claim also identifies those with no affiliation to terror groups as innocents. “Innocents” is a much better word than civilians, as civilians simply implies no affiliation with the police or military. With that definition, civilians, could therefore be affiliated with terror groups, no longer making the innocent.