November 19, 2014

The use of drones is one of the many ethical issues facing political, military and community leaders today. Addressing the issue of international drone strikes by providing an American Muslim perspective on human rights is a key aspect of our policy agenda. In an effort to improve public policies that impact American Muslims, we constantly engage with government and policymakers to create change. One of the ways we make an impact is through the thought leadership of our policy papers.

Today, we are releasing our latest publication called, "Drones as an Instrument of U.S. Foreign Policy," which analyzes the current use of drones and provides recommendations regarding how we can regulate them.

This paper is a part of MPAC’s upcoming international drones campaign, which will include outreach to members of Congress, working with coalition partners and holding debates in local communities on the regulation of drones.

Drone strikes have been used against numerous majority Muslim countries, with little transparency by the U.S. Executive Branch in the targeting process. The continued use of international drone strikes raises major legal and moral questions. This paper examines these questions and recommends that international drone strikes come under judicial and congressional oversight.

The paper’s in-depth policy research found that international drone strikes have not received the appropriate supervision they deserve and are negatively impacting America's long-term strategic interests. Whether drone strikes are carried out in the tribal regions of Pakistan, Yemen or anywhere else in the world, they have not received proper oversight and have led to unnecessary civilian casualties. These strikes have hurt America's image abroad and have alienated potential allies.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts on this publication and engaging with you on this important issue facing our community and country.

-- Saif Inam
MPAC Policy Analyst