Are autonomous weapons inevitable?
I think they are.
Best Defense is in summer re-runs. This item originally appeared on April 20, 2015.
Best Defense is in summer re-runs. This item originally appeared on April 20, 2015.
I think they are. But Jody Williams, who worked on the land mine ban, thinks they can be banned.
It is easy to call her naïve. Yet some weapons do remain forbidden, or close to it — nerve gas, biological weapons, nuclear weapons. Yes, they have been used, but the remain essentially taboo.
And yes, if I were designing a killer robot, it would look like a cute little bunny. Hop hop BOOM.
Speaking of such things, Chris Woods will be talking with Peter Bergen about his new book, Sudden Justice: America’s Secret Drone Wars, at New America in D.C. on Friday May 1 at 12:15 p.m.
Wikimedia Commons
Thomas E. Ricks is a former contributing editor to Foreign Policy. Twitter: @tomricks1
More from Foreign Policy
Chinese Hospitals Are Housing Another Deadly Outbreak
Authorities are covering up the spread of antibiotic-resistant pneumonia.
Henry Kissinger, Colossus on the World Stage
The late statesman was a master of realpolitik—whom some regarded as a war criminal.
The West’s False Choice in Ukraine
The crossroads is not between war and compromise, but between victory and defeat.
The Masterminds
Washington wants to get tough on China, and the leaders of the House China Committee are in the driver’s seat.
Sign up for World Brief
FP’s flagship evening newsletter guiding you through the most important world stories of the day, written by Alexandra Sharp. Delivered weekdays.
By submitting your email, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and to receive email correspondence from us. You may opt out at any time.