Laurie Calhoun's Blog, page 14

The False Dichotomies of Drone Warfare: Drone Strike (2013), directed by Chris Richmond

I have long believed that well-made films offer a rich source of moral insight, and Drone Strike, directed by Chris Richmond, is no exception to the rule. It’s a very short film, less than twenty minutes long, but like a carefully crafted short-story, it packs a mighty punch. The primary means of conveying its message […]

Caveat Emptor, Canada: What Lethal Drones Will Bring

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been shopping around for lethal drones for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The prospective acquisition is being downplayed as intended primarily for surveillance purposes. Of course, that’s how it always begins. The first step toward joining the bloody ranks of the avid drone killers—the United States, Israel […]

Caveat Emptor, Canada: What the Acquisition of Lethal Drones Will Bring

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been shopping around for lethal drones for the Royal Canadian Air Force. The prospective acquisition is being downplayed as intended primarily for surveillance purposes. Of course, that’s how it always begins. The first step toward joining the bloody ranks of the avid drone killers—the United States, Israel […]

Another Mass Killing in Yemen & The Drone Program Ponzi Scheme

I was disturbed to learn of the recent mass killing by the US government of yet another group of brown-skinned persons of unknown identity, this time in Yemen. Only two weeks ago, reports surfaced of a mission in Somalia which culminated in the deaths of an estimated 150+ terrorist suspects. The victims in Yemen, as […]

Microdrones and What to Expect Next from the “Smart Warriors”

  The US Army recently announced that they are accepting contract bids for the production of microdrones to be carried along by deployed soldiers in their kits. Needless to say, the idea was painted as undeniably good: to help protect “our troops”. Characterized in such a way, the idea could not possibly be met with […]

Lethal Creep in Action: The Slaughter of 150+ Somali “Terrorist Suspects”

  I was on Twitter when the news broke on March 7, 2016. Initial reports stated that a drone strike had killed 150+ Al Shabaab terrorists in Somalia who were preparing for an “imminent” attack on US forces. My immediate reaction was: How could a single drone strike kill 150+ people? A few minutes later, […]

EPIC FAIL: The Stimson Center Report Card on US Lethal Drone Policy

  It has been two years since the US government-commissioned Stimson Task Force on US Drone Policy issued its first report in 2014. I found the text of that document rather gentle on the drone warriors, but was not too surprised to find the group affirming the right of the US government to use remote-control killing […]

Why Focus on Lethal Drones?

Darren Mullen recently asked me this and other questions. My answers are given below. (First published on February 5, 2016, at Desert Austrian and Libertarian Wing Media)   Your most recent work has concerned the lethal use of drones.  What inspired you to tackle this important, but little acknowledged problem? Laurie Calhoun: I have been […]

Tariq Aziz. If that name does not ring a bell, you need to watch this film.

Robert Greenwald’s 2013 film Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars is as relevant today as when it was released. Among its many virtues, Unmanned offers a complete account of the horrific story of Tariq Aziz, and a concrete example of how the HUMINT used in selecting targets for assassination by lethal drone under the authority of Barack […]

Michael Hayden’s Pro-Drone Propaganda Piece in the Sunday New York Times

  I have long been disturbed by the New York Times’ coverage of the drone campaigns. I was particularly appalled by the ghastly President-as-Godfather feature published on May 29, 2012. Many conservative pundits have complained that the so-called “liberal” newspaper serves as a mouthpiece for the current administration, which is shameful in and of itself. […]