Drone Roundup March 17 – 20, 2020
This twice weekly roundup, curated by ReThink Media, looks at how the media is talking about drone warfare (and related topics) and what stories are being told.
With little transparency from governments on this topic, this roundup aims to be as comprehensive as possible, identifying breaking news, trends, developing stories, or interesting narratives. Rethink Media also use media coverage to compile a snapshot of strikes each week. The short version can be read here.
Due to the coronavirus, the US commander in Afghanistan is halting American and allied troops from entering Afghanistan and, in turn, preventing some troops from leaving. US troops fighting the Islamic State in Iraq and US Africa Command have implemented similar strategies. On a related note, we highly recommend CNAS’ Ilan Goldenberg’s op-ed in The Washington Post about how the coronavirus could alter US foreign policy.
After a series of deadly attacks in Iraq, the US abruptly announced that it was withdrawing from the al-Qaim base. This came on the heels of Iraq asking the United Nations to prevent the United States from conducting military actions on its own accord.
Recommended Reading: In The Intercept, Amanda Sperber and Nick Turse spoke with the relatives of two civilians who were killed last week in a US airstrike in Somalia; Over at World Politics Review, Stimson’s Madeline Vellturo and Shannon Dick explain how arms proliferation is driving herder-farmer conflict in the Sahel; while Concerned Veterans for America’s Dan Caldwell commemorated the 17th anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq with a plea to withdraw.