Joystick Warfare: On the Legality and Morality of Combat Drones

Washington doesn't like to talk about its use of military drones very much. No wonder: they just might be illegal under U.S. and international law...to say nothing of the Administration's so-called "targeted killing" program and its insistence that even U.S. citizens are legitimate targets of warfare from afar.

So-called experts who have examined drone technology tend to have a common thought about it: Drones, whether military or just for surveillance, are here to stay and we should get used to the idea of having them. From both a military/security and civil liberties standpoint, some folks will beg to differ.

To address the matter of drone warfare, on Monday May 13 Paul George, Director of the Peninsula Peace and Justice Center, will be the guest of Peace Action of San Mateo County with a talk entitled "Joystick Warfare - On the Legality and Morality of Combat Drones."

We are honored to have Paul reprise the presentation he gave in Cupertino April 16. In this forum, we will take a look at the U.S. drone program: Where and how often are drones being used to launch missiles? Who are the targets? And who is actually being killed by the drones? Most importantly, he'll raise the question: Should our country be using combat drones in its citizens' names?

Paul George has been an activist and grassroots organizer for peace and human rights for over 45 years, and has also been PPJC's director since the mid-1990's. He is a highly regarded and frequent public speaker (including at various PASMC events over the years) on a range of topics. In the course of his career, Paul has traveled to war zones to witness firsthand the profound effects of U.S. foreign policy on ordinary people. On May 13 we will be honored to have his expertise and his commitment to peace.
The UUSM is wheelchair accessible.