Lives Under Drones: Civilian Consequences of Drone Warfare

By Cole Manley and Ebony Childs

“Hayatullah stopped, got out of his own car, and slowly approached the wreckage, debating whether he should help the injured and risk being the victim of a follow-up strike. He stated that when he got close enough to see an arm moving inside the wrecked vehicle, someone inside yelled that he should leave immediately because another missile would likely strike. He started to return to his car and a second missile hit the damaged car and killed whomever was still left inside. He told us that nearby villagers waited another twenty minutes before removing the bodies, which he said included the body of a teacher from Hayatullah’s village.” [1] 

“Because whether we are driving a car, or we are working on a farm, or we are sitting home playing . . . cards–no matter what we are doing we are always thinking the drone will strike us. So we are scared to do anything, no matter what.” [2]

Drone warfare is stressed by government officials as being scientific and precise in its killing of “militants”, but as recent investigative publications reveal, civilians in Afghanistan, Yemen, Pakistan, and other countries bear the heaviest emotional, physical, and psychological toll.