An analysis of the efficacy of United States’ drone targeted attacks in combating terrorism in the Middle East: The case of Pakistan

Abstract

Drones are the latest technology in the development of air warfare .The United States of America today is employing these unmanned aerial vehicles as a strategic tool against militants in their global war on terror. Most of these weapons have been unleashed on the borders of Afghanistan and Pakistan as well as other countries like Yemen, Iraq and Somalia. Terrorism in Pakistan is so rampant that it is posing a threat to both America and International peace and security. Hence America is carrying out targeted drone attacks on suspected terrorists in the country. This has however caused tensions between the local population and the government. This paper seeks to examine the efficacy of these drone strikes in curbing terrorism in Pakistan arguing that their use is counter-productive and only worsens the risk of asymmetric attacks by low level militants due to their indiscriminate targeting of innocent civilians .The paper also analyzed the legitimacy of drones under various legal frameworks that regulate the conduct of war. The research made use of various qualitative and quantitative techniques in data collection and analysis. The available data was interpreted through various frameworks of International Relations like the just war theory and acquired through traditional desk research and interviews. The research concludes that international bodies like the International Court of Justice and the International Criminal Court should adjudicate on such issues and bring the perpetrators of robotic violence to justice.