Drones and the rise of the high tech assassins
I don't really think the drones are the problem.<p>The problems are:<p>- Lack of intelligence. The drone may be hovering overhead, but you still need local intel. Which is unrealiable<p>- The weapons are not designed for the task. A hellfire missile is not the right weapon to target a single individual. There will be collateral damage unless the target is standing in a deserted area by himself. Also, while the hellfire may be supersonic, the travel time is still significant and other people may move next to the target<p>- Armed drones are not really what's needed. Anarchic organizations are not well suited for a decapitation strike. The next strong person will take the leader's place. At most, you buy some time while there's a power struggle. Also, killing religious leaders turns them into martyrs.<p>- And last, but not least: who judged those people? Serial killers are taken to the court, which then decides their fate. Deadly force is not automatically authorized even for such dangerous individuals. Too dangerous to apprehend those extremists? Well, I imagine such a wealthy nation can figure out ways around it.<p>Then again, a drone is an expensive machine which keeps contractors happy. And 'lets kill that asshole' is an easier sell than investing in intelligence and long term planning.