drones
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Under the spotlight: European assistance to the ‘War on Terror’ drone strikes
President Donald Trump, who has stepped up the use of drones in Somalia and other areas, recently revoked a requirement for U.S. intelligence officials to give public reports listing the number of civilians killed in drone strikes and other attacks on terrorist targets outside war zones – a practice which was part of an accountability effort… Continue reading
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Latest FoI release from MoD shows extent of UK air and drone war in Syria by Chris Cole
The rise in UK air and drone strikes in Syria since September 2018 has been laid bare in the MoD’s latest responses to a Drone Wars UK FoI request. The number of British strikes in Syria per month rose to its highest ever amount (75) in December 2018. Continue reading
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General Atomics bring in BAE Systems to lobby for ‘Protector’ drone to fly in UK by Chris Cole
Drone manufacturer, General Atomics, hosted an event in London on 24 January in order – as its press release put it – “to recognize UK companies that are contributing to operational systems such as MQ-9 Reaper and MQ-1C Gray Eagle, and the new MQ-9B SkyGuardian RPA program” (which the UK MoD is calling ‘Protector’). Continue reading
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The Gatwick drone: A taste of the technology by Chris Cole
While many newspapers mocked the alleged incompetence of the authorities in not dealing with the situation simply and swiftly, the reality is that drones are a disruptive technology. The ability to use remote-controlled systems to intervene at distance with little or no consequences to the operator is perhaps now coming home to roost. Continue reading
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Enabling RAF chaplains to provide guidance to drone pilots
The Times and the Commercial Drone Professional reported recently that the Church of England has announced a programme helping RAF chaplains to offer pastoral care and support to drone pilots. They will spend a year studying for a master’s degree in ethics at Cardiff University so they can provide guidance to drone pilots in the… Continue reading
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Should we focus on autonomous weapons or the human agencies directing them?
In a Guardian article, Jamie Doward points out that though the government insists it “does not possess fully autonomous weapons and has no intention of developing them”, since 2015, the UK has declined to support proposals put forward at the UN to ban them. Continue reading
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Off the Leash: How the UK is developing the technology to build armed autonomous drones By Peter Burt
A new report published today by Drone Wars UK reveals that, despite a UK government statement that it “does not possess fully autonomous weapons and has no intention of developing them”, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) is actively funding research into technology supporting the development of armed autonomous drones. Continue reading
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Google abandons three projects which could ’cause harm’
In June, Mark Bridge reported that Google software engineers refused to work on a security feature to isolate and protect Pentagon data, because of moral concerns about the company helping the US to wage war. A dozen employees resigned in May according to Engadget and 4000 staff signed a petition against the project which was… Continue reading
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Why we persist in opposing the growing use of armed drones By Chris Cole
Over the past two weeks, campaigners have been in New York taking part in meetings at the UN urging diplomats to control the proliferation and use of armed drones. Drone Wars UK was one of the more than 50 organisations signing a joint statement released to coincide with the meetings. Continue reading
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Imran Khan: “American drone strikes in Pakistan must stop. It’s butchery, and the true horror of it is hidden from the West”
Since 2004, the US government has attacked thousands of targets in tribal areas along the Afghan border in Northwest Pakistan. It used unmanned aerial vehicles operated by the US Air Force under the operational control of the CIA’s Special Activities Division. Attacks increased substantially under Bush’s successor, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Barack Obama. Continue reading
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Book Review: Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies by Elke Schwarz By Joanna Frew
The ethical concerns raised by Elke Schwarz in her new book, Death Machines: The Ethics of Violent Technologies, help situate the use of armed drones in a deeper discussion of our modern political landscape and point to the issues that must be addressed through substantial ethical reasoning. Continue reading
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Book review: ‘Army of None: Autonomous weapons and the future of war’ by Paul Scharrey By Peter Burt
‘Army of None’ doesn’t shy away from probing the intensely difficult moral and ethical issues which are the most problematic issue raised by the development of autonomous weapons. The book explains legal and ethical issues relating to the laws of armed combat in clear and simple terms, and presents a range of expert opinions from… Continue reading
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Harry Patch: ‘organised murder’ – civilian slaughter by our special friend, with our help
The Pentagon has told Congress it estimates that nearly 500 civilians were killed as a result of US military actions in the first year of the Trump administration. According to CNN: “(The Department of Defense) assesses that there are credible reports of approximately 499 civilians killed and approximately 169 civilians injured during 2017” as a… Continue reading
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Running amok? Donald Trump facilitates civilian drone deaths & continues attacks in seven countries ‘and elsewhere’
The NGO CAGE, which campaigns against discriminatory state policies and advocates observance of due process and the rule of law, reminds readers that in October 2017, US President Donald Trump replaced the Obama rules pertaining to drone strikes with his own ‘rules’ called the “Principles, Standards, and Procedures,” or PSPs. Continue reading
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Britain’s war – denials wear thin: defence secretary now acknowledges civilian killing by RAF
Britain is at war with more than 1600 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq. Deborah Haynes, Defence Editor of the Times reports the killing of a civilian by RAF drone in Syria. Continue reading
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MoD accidentally reveals British drones firing thermobaric missiles in Syria By Chris Cole
The Ministry of Defence has revealed for the first time – seemingly accidentally – that British drones are firing thermobaric weapons in Syria. The disclosure comes in an Freedom of Information (FoI) response to Drone Wars detailing the use of Reaper drones over the previous three months. Continue reading
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UK drone strike kills civilian in Syria admits MoD By Chris ColeUK drone strike kills civilian in Syria admits MoD By Chris Cole
For the first time, the Ministry of Defence has admitted a civilian death in its air campaign against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The strike, from an RAF Reaper drone, occurred on 26 March according to a written statement by the Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson. The strike itself was reported by the MoD on its… Continue reading
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Immoral, unethical and illegal? Military action in areas where the UK is not formally at war
Mark Shapiro draws attention to a contribution from Emily Knowles, who leads the Oxford Research Group’s Remote Warfare Programme. Continue reading
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Google admits collaboration with illegal US drone murder program By Andre Damon
In another milestone in the growing integration between the military-intelligence complex and Silicon Valley, Google’s parent company Alphabet has confirmed that it has provided software to identify targets used in the illegal US government drone murder program. Continue reading
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Cost of UK air and drone strikes in Iraq and Syria reach £1.75 billion By Chris Cole
Analysis of figures released in response to Freedom of Information requests by Drone Wars UK indicate that the UK has spent £1.75bn on armed air missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria since August 2014. It should be noted that the overall cost of UK military operations in Iraq and Syria will be much higher. Continue reading
The New Dark Age 