[University Affiliation]
Abstract
Military use of unmanned drones has increased in the war against terrorism. Just recently after the marathon bombing a drone was used to attack and kill a local al-Qaeda leader in the Arabian Peninsula. Drones are being used in many forms to include spying, tracking and killing. This case study will present data about using drones in violent conflicts or threats and the ethical dilemmas of doing so. Should the government be allowed to use these forms of technology without restrain or specific governing laws? These are question for you to explore and decide if using drones is ethical.
Introduction
Advancements in technology have revolutionized the way in which sophisticated machines are used for security purposes, both for peaceful means as well as in war. Though initially technology has been developed and used for the purpose of instilling peace and security in the world, their uncontrolled usages have led to various social, legal and ethical issues. The use of technological devices beyond the borders in fact makes the legal structures to be incapable of even restricting or enforcing regulations. Such weak spots have been utilized for excessive and uncontrolled technological interventions and so the moral and ethical issues or dilemmas associated with it makes governments across the world to urgently come up with proper solutions for regulating its use and applications. World over, the use of advanced technological devices like drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are in the increase, which might lead to ethical issues and serious threats if not properly regulated through legal structures and the ethical dilemmas associated with this is discussed in detail.
Use of drones for security purposes
Drones also known as UAV and other related advanced technological devices has been used by United States (US) and other countries for military purposes and the dependence on these devices have been increased in the past decade or so. Drones enhance the capability of the nations with regard to surveillance, intelligence activities and even for combating the advances of the intruders. Increased dependence of precision devices like drones for surveillances and warfare is basically due to the superior capability of the technological devises in identifying and destroying targets rather very easily and quickly (Kreps & Kaag, 2012). Discovery of such unmanned aerial vehicles in fact sophisticated the surveillance activities and are effective means for safeguarding the territory from external interventions, if used responsibly. These can be effectively used especially in highly sensitive areas for dealing with security threats in the region. Use of drones in fact elevates the capabilities of the region in safeguarding its territory as well as in identifying probable threats well in advance. Nations could thereby prepare themselves for dealing with security issues or for even taking preemptive measures and reduce the probable impacts and causalities of war as well as associated activities.
The uses and applications of drones are many and varied and they can be used for “intelligence gathering, surveillance and reconnaissance missions and also combat operations” (Martins, 2013, p. 3). For e.g. Israel have directly benefitted by the use of drones as these devices help them to identify their potential targets well in advance as well as to plan for attack. But the use of drones for facilitating attack on targets seems to be crossing ethical and moral limits and considerations. As the use of drones for intelligence gathering or for combating is easy, precise, speedy and less expensive in comparison to other ways, there is possibility that drones be brought and deployed by more countries across the world. Deployment of drones beyond territorial limits could create serious legal, social and ethical dilemmas and issues, if not properly communicated or regulated. Such a scenario in fact could create unimaginable threat to the mankind and hence there is need to adopt appropriate regulatory mechanisms.
In today’s world there appears lot of security concerns associated with asymmetrical threats, which is difficult to contain using conventional strategies. The applicability of drone in identifying and annihilating such security threats is greater and so world nations like US use them extensively for dealing with countries like Iran, Afganistan, etc, where such threats are dominant. Levingson (2010) opined that increased used of robotic vehicles like drones in fact could reduce the inflicting capabilities of guerilla warfare and related tactics that depend on human resource for carrying out destructions of greater dimensions. The capability of drones in dealing with such asymmetrical threats has been considered as a major advantage of this technology. Prior to the discovery of drones, it was difficult to deal with threats associated with cross border terrorism and associated illegal activities. As terrorism forms one of the major security threats confronted by nations across the world, drones are considered as the best possible alternative for tackling the terror and associated illegal activities (Bataeol, 2011). The capability of drones to precisely target individuals appear to be phenomenal and hence it is considered as one among the most effective initiatives for tackling asymmetrical warfare like terrorism, if utilized responsibly.
Consequences of the use of drones: Though the precision of these technologies remain unmatched, the decisions associated with the legitimacy of the target appear rather complicated. The subjectivity or judgmental errors related to these decisions on the legitimacy of the target or targets might lead to ethical dilemma (Bataeol, 2011). On the other hand, it is true that these advanced technological devices could precisely spot the target or targets with accuracy and destroy the target without major collateral damages. As a result of which countries like US, UK, etc possess drones for performing diverse operations, possibly with security functions. It was noted by Martins (2013) that the US air force possesses about 7500 UAV’s or drones and are made functional in different parts of the world for various purposes and those regions might not even have the slightest of knowledge regarding its deployment as well as about the purposes. Understanding the role and functions of each drone and assessing the ethical standards followed by each device is quite impossible for regulatory bodies. There appears lot of limitations with regard to jurisdictional variations in regulating such activities. International bodies for dealing with such issues also have not developed appropriate legal structures and frameworks for tackling such larger issues. This is probably due to lack of uniformity with regard to the laws of one area to another.
Indiscriminate use of drones for combat operations in fact could cause illegitimate or civilian casualties. Reports of US drone attacks during the period from 2004 to 2012 showed greater number of civilian casualties to the tune of about 415 (Martins, 2013). Such figures in fact indicates that there are serious moral and ethical issues and dilemmas associated with the use of drones and the mankind would have to witness major disasters in future if the issue is not addressed properly at judicial and political levels. At the same time there are cases where nations were attacked without issuing any conventional warning notices, which itself calls for serious debates associated with the moral and ethical context of the issue. Though drones are deployed mostly for security purposes, such monitoring might affect the privacy concerns of individuals, groups or the society.
Drones could prove beneficial to the nations that uses it, but would prove destructive to the areas where these are deployed. Surveillance activities might seem to interfere with the internal affairs of the region in which these drones are deployed (Levingson, 2010). Though drones are beneficial in collecting lot of information about a specific target, the deployment of drones in different enemy territories might pose legal and ethical challenges and dilemmas.
Legal and social considerations
Legal structures for regulating external interferences are in place, but were difficult to impose on the interventions made by sophisticated technological devices like drones. This is basically because the legal frameworks are found to be quite incapable of dealing with technological intrusions and there is need for revising the frameworks to deal with such issues. There appear discrepancies in the jurisdictional references as well and hence restricting technological devices operated from beyond the borders appear difficult in the current context (Brunstetter and Braun, 2011).
In the case of using drones, the target or targets would be highly vulnerable to attack while on the other hand, the attacker is rather much protected and is free of any possible damage. Such differences in the amount of risks to both the parties in fact display the inequality associated with the deployment of drones (Kreps and Krag, 2012). The attacker would have the added advantage of remaining safe from the damages even when participating in war like operations. On the other hand, the targeted individuals might be clueless of the happenings around, which are quite unlike in conventional types of conflicts. This could be considered as a major social issue that might be affecting all the people across the world and dealing with such issues appears to be the major ethical dilemma.
Drone attacks are carried out from far off places, especially beyond borders, and the attacks are carried out without even pronouncing war with the region. Such attacks could in fact be treated as violations of the law of the land as well as of international law (De Dora, 2011). Based on the Geneva convention there is need to ensure that the people who are not actively involved in war to be given protection. But in the case of drone attacks it is not possible to ensure such levels of protection to civilians and others. But it is claimed that drone attack reduces the risks to civilians to a certain extent (Brunstetter and Braun, 2011). Based on the law there is always need to distinguish between the civilians and the targets for attack, but as drone attacks are carried out using remotely operated devises, there is the possibility of misjudging the targets if the operator is not technologically competent enough. Possibility for errors associated with subjectivity also forms a major issue.
Ethical challenges and dilemma
The use of drones other than for surveillance purposes causes lot of ethical challenges and dilemmas. This is basically because by using drones for attack in fact makes the attack to be planned and implemented from greater distances or even across borders. These aspects in fact reduce the capability of regulating such attacks and so the attackers get an upper hand in the whole operation (Birch et al, 2012). The targets become more vulnerable to attack and get less opportunity for protecting their rights and the casualties at the target side would not be controlled. But the attacker could be safe compared to the case of conventional attacks. Use of drones irresponsibly either by countries or by private organizations without the backing of any formal legal structures poses serious ethical issues, which result in a major ethical dilemma for the authorities.
Indiscriminate use of drones and related applications by the security organizations, both public sector and private, could lead to the misuse of technology for narrow and self centred goals which might affect the interests and likelihood of the majority. According to Martins (2013, p. 1) the use of drones for conducting attacks without proper judicial backup, that is, the “processes of sentencing people to death and implementing those decisions without any court decision poses a myriad of ethical and legal issues” and dilemmas. Initiating destructive actions based on threat perceptions alone without any proper legal support appears to be unethical and such actions might result in lot of innocent killings. According to Birch et al (2012, p. 4) there is possibility of converting surveillance drones in to armed one’s and such capabilities could in fact “lead to an out-of-control arms race involving virtually any state or non-state actor”.
In addition to causing civilian casualties, the possibility of triggering psychological problems in people who live in areas that is more prone to drone attacks. Creating such forms of long term damages to people and property in fact strengthens the ethical concerns regarding the use and applicability of drones. Boyle (2013, p. 3) clearly considers that the “adverse strategic effects” of the use of drones would far outweigh the “tactical gains” obtained as a result of destroying individual terrorists from multiple locations. Such observations points out to the fact that little or no attention is paid to ethical issues while strategizing the utilization of drones for various purposes. It even suggests that the nations that plan and deploy drones aim at short term gains and hence the ethical aspects would probably be ignored for ease in implementing and achieving the narrow strategies.
Another major issue pointed out by researchers are the issues associated with absence of transparency especially in the decision making processes or some levels of secrecy with regard to the drone operations. This might lead to “unjust uses of force or undermine democracy” (Brunsletter, 2012, p. 2). Use of drones for combating purposes is mostly done by the powerful countries like the US, UK, etc and deploying them in international territories could in fact be observed as a sign of dominion over the weak states like Pakistan, Afghanistan, etc (Boyle, 2013). Increasing use of drones by the powerful nations of the world could prompt other nations to purchase and utilize these objects for future purposes. As a result of which there is possibility for initiating arms buildup of drones in the region and elsewhere. This might encourage the formation of an “international system that is increasingly violent, destabilized and polarized between those who have drones and those who are victims of them” (Boyle, 2013, p. 4). Such unhealthy buildup of drones in different regions might rather affect the peace and security of regions if not regulated properly.
Boyle (2013) even questions the legitimacy of the claim that civilian casualties could be reduced considerably when attacked using drones. According to him there appear no solid proof for claiming about reduction in casualties and most of the estimates are made by the attackers itself. So the possibility of tarnishing the data cannot be ruled out completely (Reddie, 2013). Attack using drones are remotely controlled by the operator and hence the attacker’s side is highly secure. As a result of which the frequency of the attacks could be increased, which in turn could create lot of social and ethical issues.
Conclusion
Assessments on the ethical dilemmas associated with drone attacks revealed that though technology aids in identifying and destroying targets quite precisely there appear lot of ethical, social and legal issues which are being ignored as a result of the whole process. Major ethical dilemma with regard to the use of drones is the ineffectiveness in regulating the application of drones and interferences caused to the nations as a result of the use and deployment of drones. There appear no major structures for recording the extend of damage caused to civilians as a result of drone attacks and inefficiency in controlling civilian casualties by the authorities or through legal structures appear to be another major dilemma in the ethical context. Drone attacks are easy, quick, accurate and less expensive to perform and hence different nations across the world, like US, UK, Israel, etc rely a lot on these types of tactics for destroying their enemy. Increased dependence on these technological advancements in fact poses serious ethical, social and legal problems if not properly regulated. Use of drones from greater distances or even beyond borders also appears to be a major problem as it would be difficult to monitor its usages, ethical standards followed and applicability and hence could pose major ethical dilemmas. On the other hand, drones have excellent capabilities in surveillance, intelligence and even combating terror or asymmetrical threats and hence if used appropriately with restraint, the goodness of the technological advancements could be used for our benefits. So governments’ world over need to develop appropriate strategies for dealing with the indiscriminate use of drones in attack.
References
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