Drones and Targeted Killing in the Middle East and Africa

Christine Sixta Rinehart is assistant professor of political science at the University of South Carolina Palmetto College.

• IntroductionChapter 1: Yemen: The BeginningChapter 2: Afghanistan: The Land of the UnconquerableChapter 3: Pakistan: America’s Best Ally and Worst EnemyChapter 4: Somalia: Lords of War Chapter 5: Libya: The Elimination of an Eccentric DictatorChapter 6: Iraq and Syria: The Genesis of ISIS Conclusion: Is Targeted Killing Really Effective in the War on Terror?Bibliography

Rinehart provides a deeply empirical look at the challenges of drone warfare and targeted killing based on thoroughly documented research, systematically examining the results of U.S. counter-terrorism policy in multiple theaters of conflict. Giving context and substance to the security situation in each country, she carefully chronicles the successes and failures with data-driven analysis balanced by observations from outcomes on the ground to the pilot’s remote control rooms. Her well-reasoned evaluation of counter-terrorism efforts finds striking failures in each country reviewed, noting an increase in terrorist attacks and suicide bombings, while meticulously tabulating the full costs of the U.S. drone program. Her timely work will greatly contribute to the dialogue on the effectiveness of new technologies in warfare.