The Next Drone Wars

As increasing number of countries use drones international agreements on their use could reduce misunderstandings and conflict. While only three nations – the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel – have used armed drones, more than 75 others including China, Japan and Australia have drone technology often used for surveillance purposes. The original hope behind remote-controlled aerial vehicles was that they could ultimately save lives, but if anything, the technology may have lowered the threshold on use of force: “[A]lthough these new weapons will not transform the international system as fundamentally as did the proliferation of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles, they could still be used in ways that are highly destabilizing and deadly,” suggest Sarah Kreps and Micah Zenko for Foreign Affairs, in an essay that urges ground rules for proliferation and use. “The longer the United States delays, the less influence it will have to shape the rules of the game.” – YaleGlobal