In this report, Center for Civilians in Conflict and Human Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, describe how reliance on the precision capabilities and touted effectiveness of drone technology threatens to obscure the impact on civilians.

Even if drone operations outside of traditional conflict zones are found to be legal and to result in relatively few civilian casualties, the authors of this report would nevertheless be concerned with the long-term impact of such operations on the civilian population, the precedent-setting nature of these operations, accountability for the CIA and JSOC’s actions, and the inherent limitations these operations to properly address civilian harm.