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Terrorism: Commentary on Security Documents is a series that provides primary source documents and expert commentary on various topics relating to the worldwide effort to combat terrorism. Among the documents collected are transcripts of Congressional testimony, reports by such federal government bodies as the Congressional Research Service (CRS) and the Government Accountability Office (GAO), United Nations Security Council resolutions, reports and investigations by the United Nations Secretary-General and other dedicated UN bodies, and case law from the U.S. and around the globe covering issues related to terrorism. Most volumes focus on a single theme, and inside each volume the documents usually appear within topic-based categories. The series also includes a subject index and other indices that guide the user through this complex area of the law. Volume 133, The Drone Wars of the 21st Century: Costs and Benefits, examines the complex issues raised by the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in lieu of more conventional military capabilities. Professor Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr., who provides the introductory commentary for this volume, has selected ten documents that provide invaluable insights into the various aspects of this topic. These documents examine such issues as the legality, constitutionality, and ethics of the current use of drones by the United States, including the targeting and killing of U.S. citizens abroad. The long-term efficacy of U.S. reliance on drone usage as a counterterrorism tactic is also considered, as are the challenges involved for the United States in limiting the proliferation of drone technology through export controls and diplomatic efforts.
List of contents
- Preface
- Commentary by Douglas C. Lovelace, Jr
- DOCUMENT NO. 1: Quadrennial Defense Review 2014, United States Department of Defense, Washington, D.C., March 4, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 2: The 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and Defense Strategy: Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. R43403, Catherine Dale, February 24, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 3: Army Strategic Planning Guidance, Headquarters, Department of the Army, Washington, D.C., 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 4: Remarks by the President at the United States Military Academy Commencement Ceremony, Barack Obama, West Point, New York, May 28, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 5: Army Drawdown and Restructuring: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. R42493, Andrew Feickert, February 28, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 6: Statement by the Honorable John M. McHugh, Secretary of the Army, and General Raymond T. Odierno, Chief of Staff, United States Army, before the Committee on Armed Services, United States House of Representatives, Second Session, 113th Congress, on the Posture of the United States Army, Washington, D.C., March 25, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 7: U.S. Special Operations Forces (SOF): Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. RS21048, Andrew Feickert, May 8, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 8: Navy Irregular Warfare and Counterterrorism Operations: Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. RS22373, Ronald O'Rourke, June 5, 2014
- DOCUMENT NO. 9: An Assessment of the Department of Defense Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace, Thomas M. Chen, United States Army War College Press, September 2013
- DOCUMENT NO. 10: Security Assistance Reform: "Section 1206": Background and Issues for Congress, CRS Report No. RS22855, Nina M. Serafino, April 4, 2014
About the author
Douglas Lovelace, Jr., is the Director of the Strategic Studies Institute at the U.S. Army War College. Earlier in his military career, he worked on national security directives. He holds an MBA degree from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and a J.D. from Widener School of Law.
Summary
Terrorism: Commentary on Security Documents is a series that provides primary source documents and expert commentary on various topics relating to the worldwide effort to combat terrorism, as well as efforts by the United States and other nations to protect their national security interests.
