Marking the five-year anniversary of Obama's drone wars

Five years after Obama's first drone strike, debate on their use continues online.

Storified by AJAMStream· Thu, Jan 23 2014 14:55:53

thebureauinvestigates.com

U.S. drone strikes have been criticized by human rights groups and the United Nations, and are widely opposed across the world.

Pewglobal



The debate often continues online, where many regularly debate the efficacy and morality of drones. Some defend their use, and say that the devices can bring a new level of efficiency to U.S. counterterrorism efforts.

If you find it necessary for Assad to bomb innocent children in order to kill his adversaries, we demand you shut up about US drone strikes.Anonymous Operations

In 2008,35 drone strikes and 60 suicide bombing-In 2010,117 drones,49 suicide –Drone Strikes increased, suicide bombing decreased.Asad Munir

Should be a rule that people who call drone strikes "surgical" should have to undergo actual surgery via armed drone.Rania Khalek

According to a March 2013 Pew survey, 61 percent of Americans supported the drone strikes abroad, though 53 percent said they were "very concerned" about whether the strikes endanger civilian lives in a February poll. About half of Americans do believe that drones have made the U.S. safer, a sentiment that is consistent along party lines.

pewresearch.org



Many on Twitter have also pointed to a lack of public conversation on the drone program. One of the most common complaints of the Obama administration's drone program has been the lack of transparency surrounding strikes. Ben Emmerson, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, urged the U.S. to declassify information on its drone program in October to ensure that its actions are in accord with international humanitarian law.

Ponder the message the US sends when it refuses to acknowledge civilian casualties from drone strikes in #yemen.Adam Baron

There's a lot out there (not enough though) on civilian casualties of US covert #drone wars in Yemen & Pakistan - yet not in Somalia?Sana Saeed

Liberals shocked by an execution in Texas are silent on drone strikes in Yemen, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.Gerard Di Trolio

Activists have taken advantage of various social media outlets in an effort to force more transparency on the program. In addition to the many interactives on the topic, Twitter accounts like @dronestream @drones and @dronewatchers are exclusively devoted to disseminating news on the use of drones. Naming the Dead , a project from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, identifies the victims of covert drone strikes, and Dronestagram gives a bird's eye view of areas struck by drones.

January 15th 2014: in the early hours of the morning, a drone fired two missiles at a person near the old city of Shibam. Several injuries reported, and one death, variously claimed as an Al-Qaeda suspect, or a passing farmer. #drone #drones #yemendronestagram.tumblr.com

What do you think of the U.S. drone program? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.