Drones and the Ethics of Targeted Killing (eBook)

Kenneth R. Himes, OFM, is associate professor of moral theology at Boston College. He is the author or coeditor of several books, including Christianity and the Political Order, Modern Catholic Social Teaching, and Responses to 101 Questions on Catholic Social Teaching. He regularly contributes to publications such as America and Theological Studies.

List of Acronyms Preface 1. Understanding Targeted Killing and Drones The Language of Killing Targeted Killing Today Drones: Their Nature and Use Remote Killing Legal, Policy, and Moral Concerns 2. The Distant Contexts of the Debate Targeted Killing in the Classical World Targeted Killing and Ancient Israel Tyrannicide in the Christian Tradition Assassination 3. The Proximate Context: Israel and the Intifada Israeli Public Debate The High Court of Justice Takeaways from the Israeli Experience 4. The Immediate Context: The U.S. War on Terrorism The Obama Administration’s Policy A Public Killing A Public HearingSpeaking in Public The President’s Speech How Does an Individual Become a Target? How Is a Targeted Killing Implemented? Summing Up 5. The Future Context: Addressing the Moral Issues Discrimination Imminence Death and Harm to Civilians Last Resort Strategic Success Perpetual War Bad Precedents Drones and Democracy Final Thoughts Notes Index