Thanks to the drones, which have been deployed for the first time in Yemen in 2002, the United States managed to kill no less than 2599 militants in more than 400. Despite its achievements though, the drone war is forced to live with two main problems. The first one is related to the high number of civilian casualties: according to the non-profit news organization The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, more than 400 civilians have lost their lives so far. The second one is related to the real chances of defeating Al-Qaeda one for all relaying on drone strikes since the terrorist organization has shown its ability of regenerating and strengthening herself despite all the strikes and losses.
In conclusion, far from being a perfect tool, the drone war appears to be as a controversial long term war but no alternative solutions have been presented so far.
|
Paese
|
Strikes
|
Reported Killed
|
Civilian Casualties
|
|
Pakistan (2004 – 2014) |
383 |
2296-3718 |
416-957 |
|
Yemen[3] (2002 – 2014) |
61-71 |
293-430 |
30-74 |
|
Somalia (2007 – 2014) |
5-8 |
10-24 |
0-1 |
|
Total Amount |
449-462 |
2599- 4172 |
446-1032 |
Table 1 – The drone war from its origin up to present[4] [Source: The Bureau of Investigative Journalism[5]]
[1] http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/20/yemen-violence-idUSL6N0NC07U20140420.
[2] http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/15/world/al-qaeda-meeting-video/.
[3] In addition to the data included in Table 1, others must be taken into account: according to The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, there is the possibility of other 92-11 extra drone strike which may have killed other 311-501 militants and caused the death of 24-44 civilians.
[4] Al data are updated to the 31 of March 2014.
[5] http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2014/04/01/march-2014-update-us-covert-actions-in-pakistan-yemen-and-somalia/
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