UAV
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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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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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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
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Thinking war is bloodless is a mistake.” Talking drones and remote war with Air Marshall Bagwell By Chris Cole
Air Marshall Greg Bagwell is a recently retired senior Royal Air Force officer who served as Deputy Commander Operations at RAF Air Command. While being a vocal supporter of the use of armed drones, in his role of President of the Air Power Association he has also argued for greater openness and engagement with the… Continue reading
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Anglo Saxon alliance helps its ally to kill another 54 civilians – running amok?
Widely reported: on 26 December, airstrikes on a crowded popular market in Al Hayma sub-district in Attazziah district, Taizz Governorate led to at least 54 civilians being killed, including eight children, and 32 others injured including six children. More than 350 high-profile figures including six Nobel peace prize laureates, former military generals, politicians, diplomats and… Continue reading
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2018: British armed drone operations reach a crossroads By Chris Cole
In December 2017 the RAF announced that British Reaper drones had reached the significant milestone of flying 100,000 hours of combat operations. The hyper-asymmetric nature of drone strikes, enabling so-called ‘risk-free’ war, has long raised concerns that the technology would tempt politicians into engaging in permanent war. As we enter 2018, it seems that UK… Continue reading
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The Uncounted: debunking Pentagon claims that few civilians have died in airstrikes
The Pentagon claims that its air war against ISIS is one of the most accurate in history and that the 14,000 US airstrikes in Iraq have killed only 89 civilians – those not listed are here called ‘The Uncounted’. Continue reading
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Watching, Killing: The Evolution of RAF Drone Warfare in the 21st Century’ – Dr Peter Lee By Peter Burt
The lecture, provocatively titled ‘Watching, Killing: The Evolution of RAF Drone Warfare in the 21st Century’ marked the tenth anniversary of the commencement of British Reaper drone operations and took place shortly before the Ministry of Defence announced that RAF Reaper drones are to remain deployed in the Middle East after other UK aircraft return… Continue reading
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Britain, Saudi Arabia and America spend millions on execution without trial
The RAF has dropped about 3,500 bombs and missiles, which the BBC estimates has already cost £150m in munitions. Each Brimstone missile costs more than £100,000 and the RAF has already fired more than 350, according to the BBC estimate, defence correspondent Jonathan Beale said. Continue reading
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The lawfulness of the drone strike against Sally Jones
As a researcher whose work for the last three and a bit years has been on the lawfulness of drone strikes, the question of whether this strike was lawful or not immediately came to mind. Jones was viewed as a member of ISIS and generally the media has uncritically reported her death, implying an assumption… Continue reading
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Can Donald Trump really believe this slaughter will “make America great again”?
The emphasis on air power by the Trump administration has led to an unprecedented 20,650 bombs being dropped on seven countries (Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria) during his first six months in office and a large increase in the numbers of civilians being killed. Continue reading
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After ten years, time to ground Britain’s drones By Chris Cole
This month (October 2017) marks ten years of British Reaper drone operations. Acquired on a temporary basis as an ‘Urgent Operational Capability’, the UK began operating armed drones in Afghanistan in October 2007 after having three delivered directly to Kandahar airport. A decade later the Reapers have been in continuous use and are now deemed… Continue reading
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Lest we forget: yesterday alone, 44 airstrikes were conducted by US-led coalition military forces
29 September 2017 — Drone Wars Airwars is a collaborative, not-for-personal-profit project tracking and archiving the international air war against so-called Islamic State and other groups in Iraq, Syria and Libya. As nine Coalition nations are bombing in Syria alone – along with the air forces of Russia, Iran, Israel and the Assad regime – Continue reading
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Video: Real Media: New Warfare & Transparency
Chris Cole of Drone Wars UK talks about the current state of the technology, the march to lethal autonomous warfare, and the absolute secrecy and lack of democratic scrutiny around the developing drone program Continue reading
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New MoD document on use of drones, same old spin By Chris Cole
After a long delay the UK MoD has produced its new doctrine publication on the use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (commonly known as drones). Its predecessor, ‘The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems’ (JDN 2/11), caused a stir in 2011 as it acknowledged real ethical and legal issues with the growing use of these systems.… Continue reading
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Joint civil society statement on US-led armed drones control process By Chris Cole
Work is now being undertaken by a group of states led by the US to draft more detailed politically binding international standards, building on the declaration. In this context, a group of civil society organisations have set out in an open statement, reproduced below, a range of concerns about the limitations of this initiative –… Continue reading
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Information tribunal dismisses Drone Wars appeal over British drone secrecy By Chris Cole
An information tribunal has upheld the MoD’s decision to refuse to release the number of British armed drones deployed against ISIS and their location, despite such information being released by the UK about its ‘manned’ aircraft. Continue reading
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Historic U.K. Trial. Anti-drones Protesters Praised by Judge. Illegality of Drone Warfare Upheld By Chris Cole
As many of you will have seen reported in the media the Waddington Six trial took place yesterday. All six spoke about the dangers of drone warfare and how the use of drones by British forces breaches international law. District Judge John Stoddert listened carefully to everything that was said, but stated that he felt… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 