The political firestorm surrounding the
administration’s targeted-killing policy in areas such as Pakistan and
Yemen has put the Air Force – which operates the majority of the
nation’s armed RPAs – in a tough spot. The CIA oversees drone strikes in
places such as Pakistan and Yemen, while the Air Force has focused on
Afghanistan, Yemen and portions of Africa. Incidents of civilian
casualties have stirred concerns about the legality of drone strikes
outside designated war zones. “The issues in Pakistan get lumped in with
the entire military RPA program as a whole,” said Rachel Stohl, senior
associate at the Stimson Center.
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