Drones attacks by the US

Todjaeger

Potstirrer
A few things. First, when making a long post, break up the post into paragraphs which are either indented at the beginning, or preferably keep the paragraphs spaced apart from each other by an empty line. It makes it much easier to read than a 'wall of text'.

Secondly, based off what seems to be the direction the original post is heading in, the drone portion is really irrelevant. The discussion seems to revolve around questions about what is usually referred to as collateral damage, and at what point is the collateral damage too great for the target to be worthwhile, and who gets to make that determination.

If the above is accurate, then that situation in fact applies to basically all military combat operations, not just drone strikes, or airstrikes for that matter. For all such operations, be they at sea, in the air, or on land, regardless of whether the operating forces are also at sea, in the air, on on the ground, there is the potential for combat to occur, and in an area where civilians could become injured or get killed, and/or civil infrastructure could become damaged or destroyed. It does not matter whether the operating force is a carrier battle group, or an infantry squad, it can happen.

This is where ROE's come into play, in an attempt to concentrate such impact on desired targets, and not have blue-on-blue engagements or civilians be targets.

Unfortunately, groups waging an irregular combat campaign actively work to use their opponent's ROE's against them, as much as possible. One very common method is for irregular forces to mix and melt into the local populace, except during actual combat. By getting so close to civilians/non-combatants, the irregular combatants can make it very difficult to target them, without also endangering the civilians. Given that the West now generally has a poor view on injuring or killing civilians, most Western forces tend to go to great lengths to avoid harming civilians.

A DIM is a very good example of the importance not harming civilians can have. However, depending on area and circumstances, targets can be so important, or so interwoven with non-targets, that some civilians will inevitably get injured or killed.

-Cheers
 
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