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Lecture (1 hour inclusive of lecture and Q&A)

"For the first time in history, a civilian intelligence agency is using robots to carry out a military mission, selecting people for killing in a country where the United States is not officially at war."

New York Times, 3 December 2009

The CIA's use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs or "drones") to track down and assassinate suspected Taliban and al-Qaeda leaders in Pakistan's tribal areas represents one of the most secretive, controversial, and revolutionary parts of America's war against global terrorism. There is a growing debate around the use of the drones. Some argue they are the most effective tool against terrorist networks, enabling America to hunt terrorists in hard to reach regions and denying them sanctuaries. Others argue the drones destabilise the Pakistani government, break international law, and fuel anti-Americanism, undermining their very purpose.

This lecture sets out the origins of the drone programme, examines the geographical area it is operated in, and uses a wide range of evidence to explore the arguments for and against the continued use of the drones.

Throughout the lecture, students will be given the chance to examine the sources used to build the argument, as well as the opportunity to use interactive zappers to vote and share their opinions on certain contentious issues.

This lecture explores these debates, focussing on issues such as:

• What developments/individuals have driven the new drone strategy?
• What are the legal and ethical implications of drone use?
• The successes and failures of drone use
• The future of unmanned aircraft and the likely implications of drones

For maximum benefit and skills development, students will be expected to take notes during the lecture. There will be a chance for questions and discussion of the issues raised at the end.

Seminar (1 hour)

In the seminar session, students will be provided with a number of extracts from political documents, speeches, press clippings, UN reports and popular culture referring to drones, and asked to share their views on what they say.

Students will also be expected to engage with wider debates, such as national security verses human rights and international law, the implications of unmanned vehicles, and ethical issues around remote assassinations.