Predators_ The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda
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Transcript of Predators_ The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda
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http://smallwarsjournal.com/print/15052
Predators: The CIA’s Drone War on alQaeda
By Evan Kalikow
Journal Article | Dec 21 2013 - 10:12am
Predators in Perspective
Dr. Brian Glyn William Predators: The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda, Potomac Books Inc., 2013, 256 pg., $29.95.
Reviewed by Evan Kalikow
After Amazon’s CEO Jeff Bezos announced the company’s plans to start delivering packages via drones by 2015,
the subject of drones was once again thrust into the public spotlight. And once again, the drone debate was framed
as a binary choice: one either supports the use of drones or one opposes them. A topic of such fundamental
importance like drones certainly deserves a more nuanced discussion.
Fortunately, Predators: The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda, the newest book by Dr. Brian Glyn Williams of the
University of Massachusetts--Dartmouth, treats the topic with the care it deserves. Over the course of the book’s
11 chapters, Williams takes an even-handed approach, providing invaluable history and context to frame the
arguments both in favor of and against current US drone policy. The book is roughly divided into two halves: the
first details the history of Pakistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) from the mid-20 th century
to present day and how the landscape of the United States’ relationship with the region has changed, while the
second discusses the benefits, consequences, and future challenges associated with the ongoing American drone
campaign.
By focusing his research and analysis of drone warfare on al Qaeda in Pakistan and the FATA region, Williams
accomplishes two integral things. First, he narrows the scope of his argument and allows himself the time and
space to go into more depth than he would were he to do a more overarching analysis of drone warfare by including
other drone hotspots such as Yemen and Somalia (Williams does discuss Yemen briefly later, but the focus is clearly
Pakistan). This also allows Williams to focus only on al Qaeda; were Yemen to be featured more prominently, al
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27/2/2014 Predators: The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda
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Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) would necessarily need to be analyzed as well. Predators is an overall
stronger piece through its focused commitment to one region and organization.
The second thing accomplished by this focus is its reframing of the drone debate. Rather than seeing drones as a
technological choice (i.e., “Should we as a country be using drones?”), Williams recognizes that the technology will
not be leaving anytime soon and chooses to discuss the larger strategic issue; whether or not they are effective in
this instance (i.e. ,“Should we as a country be using drones to fight al Qaeda?). This is a much more worthwhile
and productive debate to be had, and a book like this one has the potential to advance the public conversation about
drones.
Predators, however, is not without its flaws. While it has much to offer for newcomers into issues surrounding
drone warfare and specifically the US’s drone campaign against al Qaeda in Pakistan, readers who are already well-
versed in these topics will find little new. To wit, the latter half of the book, which focuses primarily on issues
surrounding the drone warfare policy, is not quite as strong as the book’s first half, which details the history of the
complex and fascinating relationship between the United States and Pakistani governments, as well as the evolution
of targeted killing campaigns in the region. Readers hoping to be introduced to the policy issues that complicate
drone warfare in Pakistan will find much to appreciate in Predators, but those who have been exposed to previous
literature by authors such as Micah Zenko, Audrey Kurth Cronin, and Steve Coll may leave wanting more.
That said, there are some noteworthy revelations in Predators. In particular, Williams reveals that drone policies are
beginning to be more accepted among civilians, quoting a “tribal militia commander” in Yemen as saying, “Ordinary people have become very practical about drones. If the United States focuses on the leaders and civilians aren’t
killed, then drone strikes will hurt al Qaeda more than they help them.” (pg. 204). This quote and some polls cited in
the later chapters of the book suggest that opposition to drones may be stronger among pundits and policy
advocates than those more directly involved.
Overall, though, Predators is a book that understands that the premise underlying the “Are you pro- or anti-drone?”
question is false. Drones are here to stay, and the technological and logistical advantages provided by them are
impossible to deny. What can change, however, is how they are used to coherently pursue a given policy and
supporting strategy. Williams presents arguments both in favor and against current usage policies, allowing the
reader to draw his/her own conclusions. Predators offers hope that the future of drone debates will focus more on
the policy surrounding the way the drones are used and less on their very existence. And since the book weighsfewer than 8 pounds, it will be eligible for drone delivery via Amazon in a few years.
Rating:Your rating: None Average Rating: 5 ( 1 vote)
About the Author
Evan Kalikow
Mr. Evan Kalikow is a research associate at the Institute for National Strategic Studies at
National Defense University (NDU). This review reflects his position and not that of the NDUor U.S. Government.
Available online at : http://smallwarsjournal.com/jrnl/art/predators-the-cia% E2% 80% 99s-drone-war-on-al-qaeda
Links:
{1} http://smallwarsjournal.com/author/evan-kalikow
{2} http://i.cfr.org/content/publications/attachments/Drones_CSR65.pdf
{3} http://www.iiss.org/en/publications/adelphi/by%20year/2007-d5f5/ending-terrorism--lessons-for-defeating-al-
qaeda-a908
8/12/2019 Predators_ The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda
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27/2/2014 Predators: The CIA’s Drone War on al Qaeda
http://smallwarsjournal.com/print/15052
{4} http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2013/05/06/130506crbo_books_coll
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