U.S. Drone Policy in Pakistan: An analysis of the effectiveness of the drone program.

Abstract

The U.S. drone policy is slowly generating more debate within the American public. Domestic economic concerns still dominate the attention of policy makers and the public, but as the economy improves, foreign policy is certain to regain national attention. In the recent presidential debates both candidates supported the U.S.’s drone policy in Pakistan (Obama & Romney, 2012). This coincides with the popularity the policy enjoys in the public (Cohen & Wilson, 2012). Yet because of the secrecy surrounding the details of the drone policy and the seclusion of the region in which drone strikes are conducted, the public lacks details necessary for an informed public debate. In this paper, I endeavor to shed some light on the policy and better explain some of the complexities and implications inherent in it. So my main thesis question is to try and decipher what the drone program is and how effective is it.