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What Drone Critics Get Wrong
(Atlantic) Amitai Etzioni - Critics claim that, according to international law, force should be used only when terrorists pose an imminent threat. However, because terrorists do not abide by the rules of armed conflicts, which require that combatants identify themselves as such, and not merely reveal their status only when ready to strike, all those who can be reliably identified as terrorists are a legitimate target. Simply because al-Qaeda and its associates hide their status does not mean that they should be accorded better protection. Should we kill terrorists that cannot be captured and should drones be employed? I contend that once one agrees that kill we must, drones are the much-preferred tool of warfare. Unlike cruise missiles and bombs, unpiloted aviation systems allow for long and careful surveillance before a strike. By using drones, one can wait until the children are away from the area and take other measures necessary for minimizing collateral damage. The writer, a senior advisor to the Carter White House, is a professor of international relations at George Washington University.