Accession Number:

AD1175863

Title:

How to Mitigate the Negative Perception of the Drone Program

Descriptive Note:

[Technical Report, Master's Thesis]

Corporate Author:

MARINE CORPS UNIV QUANTICO VA

Personal Author(s):

• Glencamp, Fred

Report Date:

2015-05-07

Pagination or Media Count:

35

Abstract:

Unmanned Aerial Vehicles otherwise known as drones have become the weapon of choice for the United States to conduct counterterrorism operations around the world. While drones have been effective in locating and eliminating high level al Qaeda and Taliban operatives, the American people and the international community are at odds surrounding the secrecy of the program by the Obama administration. As a result the approval ratings by Americans and several other countries have declined, and critics have constantly accused the Obama administration of operating an irresponsible drone program that does not set the standard for aspiring countries to emulate. The legality, targeting criteria, and proliferation restraints are key issues requiring an analyst to determine why this program has a negative perception. The research confirms that the Obama administration needs to develop and publish more policy that mandates accountability in reporting the process of drone attacks to include the results and what proliferation measures are in place to ensure that drone technology has proliferation restraints.

Descriptors:

• international law
• unmanned aerial vehicles
• international organizations
• treaties
• aircrafts
• military applications
• national security
• united states
• warfare
• arms control
• foreign relations
• terrorism
• department of defense
• governments
• law
• united nations
• collateral damage

Subject Categories:

• Unconventional Warfare
• Pilotless Aircraft
• Government and Political Science

Distribution Statement:

[A, Approved For Public Release]