ARE DRONES A LEGITIMATE WEAPON OF WAR?

 In the course of time, people’s values  and priorities have changed yet there is one that has remained the same since the beginning of time: the need for security and to win battles of all kinds at any cost. People have tried yet failed to eliminate wars, but they work  hard to preserve their own safety. Because of this, scientists developed UACs and drones thanks to technological developments. In this centuy, people are killed easily by push button crafts. Drones are one of these UACs and the legality of drones is a matter of debate in many countries. Some of them are in favour of the drone strikes  whereas others are against it for some valid reasons. It ıs my contention that drones are not a legitimate weapon of war.

   First of all, many civilians are killed by drones. In spite of the murders being commited right and left, the drone technology is moving ahead at full speed. Drones were used firstly in the Yugoslav conflicts ,and the use of drones escalated in the Afghanistan war. Due to the drone strikes, not only militants but also noncombatants are killed. According to some research, there have been 41 known drone strikes in Pakistan since Obama became president and due to these strikes, 450 locals have been murdered. This is an enormous mortality rate. The drone strikes are giving more damage to the civilian population than militants. Because of this, the drone strikes pose a great risk for humanity.

   A further argument against the drone strikes is that the drone strikes have some adverse effects on the drone operators. The drone operators suffer from conflict-zone trauma, despite not being in the line of fire. They are faced with the knowledge that they themselves are responsible for the death of innocent people. Moreover, the drone strikes are controlled via some computer software; therefore, this system can be turned into a military threat by hackers. Hackers can enter the military network and take control to drive the drone into the ground or use it for their own personal gain. For exampe; Todd Humphreys, an assistant professor at the University of Texas, showed how his research team was able to take control of a US military drone just by using a store –bought GPS in 2012. This is not impossible; therefore, drones should not be used in order to preserve  world peace.

   The supporters of drone strikes claim that these aircrafts are  far cheaper than other weapons because the initial cost is not as high as manned aircraft. It is asserted that when the government uses the drones, military spending may decrease in the country. However, this is a very superficial idea. The initial cost is just the begining of the story.  The personnel will  need to specialize in training operations; therefore, the operation cost is likely to soar over time. The driving of a drone is harder than manned aircrafts; thus, the requirement for specialized men will escalate in the country.

   To sum up, UACs provide some advantages for the military  but the drawbacks cannot be overlooked. Due to the drone strikes, a lot of people suffer from trauma and many civilians  are murdered. Because of this, the drones are not a legitimate weapon of war.