Intelligence Squared U.S. Debates: The U.S. Drone Program Is Fatally Flawed

Remotely piloted aircraft, or drones, have been the centerpiece of America’s counterterrorism toolkit since the start of the Obama presidency, and the benefits have been clear. Their use has significantly weakened al Qaeda and the Taliban while keeping American troops out of harm’s way. But critics of drone strikes argue that the short-term gains do not outweigh the long-term consequences—among them, radicalization of a public outraged over civilian deaths. Is our drone program hurting, or helping, in the fight against terrorism?

For:
Ahmed Rashid, Pakistan-based Journalist & Author
John Kael Weston, Fmr. State Dept. Political Adviser to Marine Units, Iraq & Afghanistan

Against:
General Norton Schwartz (USAF, Ret.); Former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Air Force
Admiral Dennis Blair (USN, Ret.), Former Director of National Intelligence