Rise of the Drones

Since his re-election, President Obama has given no indication that he would change anything about the drone program, which he embraced in his first term to kill al-Qaeda and Taliban militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan without risking American lives.

The drone attacks are highly unpopular among many Pakistanis in particular, who consider them a violation of sovereignty that cause unacceptable civilian casualties. Now, the UN is launching an investigation into the impact of drone strikes and so-called targeted killings on civilians.

But drones aren’t just for warfare. The Federal Aviation Administration predicts there will be thousands of drones over domestic skies within the next decade, doing everything from watching traffic to delivering packages. And this doesn’t even take into account the thousands more worldwide that will be used to do things like watch borders or deter rhino poaching. This raises numerous questions about cost, privacy and safety.

The World looks at the implications of America’s so called drone war in Asia, and the proliferation of drones worldwide and here at home.

John Brennan Expected to Face Scrutiny Over America’s Drone Strategy in Senate Hearing

John Brennan, President Obama’s pick to take over as director of the CIA, faces a confirmation hearing in the Senate on Thursday, and it’s all but certain he will be quizzed about drones. More>>

Justice Department Memo Makes Legal Case for Killing Americans Abroad

A leaked Justice Department memo is the talk of the town in Washington, and around the globe, Tuesday. The memo, obtained and published by NBC News, sets out the Obama Administration’s legal case for the targeted killing of American terrorism suspects abroad. More>>

Israeli Legal Expert: Lack of Judicial Oversight in Targeted Killings a ‘Recipe for Disaster’

Amos Guiora gave legal advice on targeted killings to the Israeli Defense Force in Gaza in the 1990s. He’s troubled by the vague language in the leaked Justice Department memo, and tells anchor Marco Werman why he thinks the lack of judicial oversight in targeted killings is a ‘recipe for disaster.’ More>>

NYC Designers Create ‘Drone-Proof’ Clothing

New York-based designers Adam Harvey and Johanna Bloomfield have created a range of clothing to counter surveillance by thermal imaging. They hope that their pieces of silver-lined outerwear, including a hoodie and a burqa, will draw attention to a growing culture of surveillance at home and abroad. More>>

Kenyan Wildlife Conservancy Plans to Use a Drone to Counter Rhino Poaching

Conservation groups and governments across Africa are struggling to police the poachers and protect the animals. Now a wildlife conservancy in Kenya has purchased a drone to keep an eye on its precious residents. More>>

Why President Obama Embraces Drones

The UN is launching an investigation into the impact of drone strikes and so-called targeted killings on civilians. Marco Werman speaks with Daniel Klaidman of the Daily Beast, who has interviewed hundreds of US officials about the Obama Administration’s embrace of drones. More>>

Books Not Bombs or How About Tweets?

Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Nigerian-American author Teju Cole, about a series of literary-inspired short stories about drones that Cole posted recently on Twitter aimed at bridging what Cole terms our empathy gap. More>>

What It’s Like to Pilot Drones

Piloting a drone can be a strange mix of reality and virtual reality. A former British drone operator weighed in on what it’s like to fly drones, and the potential moral implications. More>>

Military Practices Flying Drones Over Northern New York

The drones that fly over Afghanistan are generally piloted by people sitting in the United States. Those pilots also fly training missions over domestic skies. That’s the case in northern New York. North Country Public Radio’s David Sommerstein reports on the fuzzy line between military preparation and a creepy eye in the sky. More>>

The Skies Could Fill With (small) Unmanned Aircraft

Drones aren’t just used for spying and dropping bombs. The civil applications for unmanned aircraft are numerous, from spreading seeds on fields to delivering medical supplies to remote areas. The World’s Jason Margolis reports. More>>

Reforming US Policies on Drone Strikes

The current trajectory of US drone strike policies is “unsustainable.” Anchor Marco Werman speaks with Micah Zenko, author of a new Council on Foreign Relations report titled “Reforming US Drone Strike Policies.” Zenko says it’s the same conclusion drawn by the new nominee as the next CIA director, John Brennan. More>>

U.N. Drone Investigator Might Be a Deadly Robot’s Worst Nightmare bit.ly/VPBoHy

— Noah Shachtman (@dangerroom) January 29, 2013