Attack of the Drones

Sign in to add to Watchlist

The American government relies more and more often on robots to do their fighting. Starting with Operation Desert Storm, many wars are fought from a distance. The casualties are real – but it plays like a video game to the soldiers pushing the buttons. Now, the American government is withdrawing troops from Afghanistan and sending in the drones to fight al-Qaeda and the Taliban. As the government relies more on drone technology, philosophical questions about morality spring up. What are the consequences to our humanity in using such an impersonal method to kill?

The US government’s growing reliance on aerial drones to pursue its war on al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Yemen, Afghanistan and elsewhere is proving controversial. As governments are increasingly relying on drones, what are the consequences for civil liberties and the future of war?