Death by Drone

Book excerpt: In 2013, President Obama promised that before any U.S. drone strike, "there must be near-certainty that no civilians will be killed or injured." Death by Drone questions whether he has kept that promise. The report casts serious doubt on whether the United States' "near-certainty" standard is being met on the ground, and whether the U.S. is complying with international law. The nine case studies documented in this report provide credible evidence that U.S. airstrikes have killed and injured Yemeni civilians. These incidents include a drone strike that killed 12 people, including a pregnant woman and three children, and another in which the U.S. struck a house containing 19 people, including women and children.