Drone warfare killing by remote control and its morality

Unmanned aerial vehicles also known as drones are being used with increasing frequency in military operations as well as law enforcement tasks for surveillance and offensive purposes. This paper reviews the doctrines invoked by the American government for its use of drones in foreign theatres, particularly in the context of the ongoing “war on terror”. It details the justifications provided by the US for using drones even in areas where it is not formally at war and where such attacks are carried out by the CIA, a civilian agency. The article avers that Washington is in breach of the laws of war, regardless of whether killing combatants by remote controlled weapons is morally acceptable and less likely to cause civilian casualties than conventional military action.