ABSTRACT
Acknowledging that armed drones are examples of new and unregulated weapons, this chapter shares in the conviction inherent in their description by Professor Bert Roling as “dubious weapons”, dubious because either in themselves or the manner they are used, armed drones are not in accordance with the principles of international humanitarian law. In fact, it is considered here that armed drones fall into the bracket of prohibited or restricted weapons because they are capable of actions that would lead to excessive injuries or indiscriminate consequences or effects. These indiscriminate consequences are not only on the enemy—as the terrorists go—but also on civilians and other protected persons and places. It is also expounded here that since their development and refinement, especially with the onset of the war on terror after 9/11, armed drones have become convenient instruments of counter-terrorism in the hands of the United States, which has consolidated its dominance with its Laser Weapons System (LaWS)—a U.S. silent and invisible drone-killer laser. It is not just an emblem of America’s national power, but also an instrument of its arrogance. It is submitted that the future of drones is terrifying, especially with the burgeoning, under-the-table development of these terrific weapons.
