Drone roundup – March 3 – 6, 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.
The International Criminal Court ruled on Thursday that its chief prosecutor could open an investigation into allegations of war crimes in Afghanistan including any that may have been committed by Americans, a step that infuriated the Trump administration.
The US conducted its first airstrike against the Taliban since the signing of the initial agreement, after they attacked Afghan Defense Forces. Speaking of the agreement, Secretary of Defense Esper admitted there were secret addendums to the deal, just days after denying their existence. This comes amidst a scoop from the Washington Post about a new network of Special Operations forces that will be staying in Afghanistan after the withdrawal.
Next Tuesday, Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) will introduce legislation limiting President Trump’s ability to remove U.S. troops from Africa. We’ve also noticed an influx of commentary that argues for more troops in the region, including from Sen. Jim Inhofe, the Republican Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Rep. Steny Hoyer, the House majority leader, said he supports the war powers legislation that passed the Senate last month and expects to bring it to the floor “in the near future.
Recommended Reading: In the Military Times, US Army veteran Joe Quinn asks: Will my daughter fight my war?