America’s secret drone wars – the challenges of drones

106 views · Published 10 June 2015 · 1:19 · Indexed 30 October 2026

Channel: Oxford Academic (Oxford University Press) · 2015 · Education

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Drones have enabled pilots and operators to be removed from the battle field. However, there are still civilian casualties occurring. Through his research, Chris Woods explains the many challenges drones have introduced into our military’s warfare. http://global.oup.com/academic/product/sudden-justice-9780190202590

In Sudden Justice, award-winning investigative journalist Chris Woods explores the secretive history of the United States' use of armed drones and their key role not only on today's battlefields, but also in a covert targeted killing project that has led to the deaths of thousands. The CIA nurtured and developed drones before the War on Terror ever began, seeking a platform from which it could monitor its targets and act lethally and instantly on the intelligence it gathered. Since then, remotely piloted aircraft have played a critical role in America's global counter-terrorism operations and have been deployed to devastating effect in conventional wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya. Drone crews, analysts, intelligence officials and military commanders all speak frankly to the author about how armed drones revolutionized warfare--and the unexpected costs to some of those involved. 

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