The Morality of Drone Warfare and the Politics of Regulation [Hardcover]

This book discusses the moral and legal issues relating to military drones, focusing on how these machines should be judged according to the principles of just war theory. The author analyses existing drones, like the Predator and Reaper, but also evaluates the many types of drones in development. The book presents drones as not only morally justifiable but having the potential to improve compliance with the principles of just war and international law. Realizing this potential would depend on developing a sound regulatory framework, which the book helps to develop by considering what steps governments and military forces should take to promote ethical drone use. It also critically evaluates the arguments against drones to show which should be abandoned and which raise valid concerns that can inform regulations.

Introduction.- The Debate over Drone Warfare.- Just War Theory and Its Critics.- Evaluating the Morality of Drone Warfare.- Chapter Overview.- 1. The Drone Revolution.- Contested Language.- Degrees of Drone Autonomy.- The Many Faces of Drone Warfare.- The International Diffusion of Military Technology.- Risk During War.- Drones and the Reduction of Risk.- Machines and their Latent Potentials.- Conclusion.- 2. The Moral Landscape of Drone Warfare.- Drones and Targeted Killing.- Drones' Mechanical Faults and Technical Limitations.- Civil-Military Technology Sharing.- The Effects of Mediation on Civilian Populations.- Mediation's Influence on Drone Operations.- The Drone Arms Race.- Conclusions.- 3. Evaluating Drones with Jus ad bellum.- The Core Jus Ad Bellum Principles.- Applying Jus Ad Bellum to Drones.- The Assymetry Objection Against Remote Warfare.- Conclusion.- 4. Drones and the Principles of Jus in Bello.- The Principles of Discrimination and Proportionality.- The Jus in Bello Advantages of Using Drones.- Civilians in the Walc,