The Rise of Drone Warfare: A New Era of Global Robotization?
Maj. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, the key figure in Iranian military operations, was killed in a US drone strike on January 3, 2020. This event marked a significant escalation in the use of drones in military conflicts, setting the stage for a global shift towards robotization of war.
Drone Wars in Ukraine and Iran
The use of drones has been instrumental in both the Ukrainian-Russian and the Iran-US conflicts. In Ukraine, pro-Russian separatists have employed drones to attack government forces, while Ukrainian forces have retaliated with their own drone-based attacks. In Iran, the US and Israel have allegedly used drones to target Iranian military assets and nuclear facilities.
Robotization of War: A Growing Trend
According to Michel Gurfinkiel, a French conservative journalist and public intellectual, this increased reliance on drones marks the beginning of a new era in warfare. He argues that the rise of drone warfare signals a global shift towards the robotization of war. “The use of drones is not a fleeting phenomenon,” Gurfinkiel writes. “It’s a harbinger of a more general robotization of the battlefield, where machines will increasingly take on tasks previously reserved for human soldiers.”
What this means
The robotization of war has significant implications for modern conflict. As drones become more prevalent, the risks to human soldiers will increase, and the lines between combatant and non-combatant will become increasingly blurred. This may lead to more civilians being caught in the crossfire, exacerbating the humanitarian crisis. Moreover, the reliance on drones raises questions about accountability and the rule of law in modern warfare.
