Why Drones Work: The Case for Washington's Weapon of Choice

According to Bymen in this article written in June of 2013, the United States needs the drone program as an affordable, low-risk anti-terrorism combat method. Drone strikes not only demonstrate its effectiveness in assassinating key leaders in the Al-Queda organization, but also shows its ability to inhibit communication and recruit training. Alternatives to the drone policy come out as “too risky or unrealistic”. Furthermore, Byman explores the statistics behind civilian casualties. He states that “public numbers are unreliable” and that the definition of a civilian in legal terms is rather vague. Despite outward signs of protest against the drone policy from the Yemeni and Pakistani governments, Byman argues that the two aforementioned countries support these policies by the U.S. government. Byman also addresses the “Authorization for the Use of Military Force” policy. He closes by stating that “controlling the spread of drone technology will prove impossible”.