Drones and US Grand Strategy in the Contemporary World / Francis N. Okpaleke.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Intro -- Preface -- Acknowledgements -- Praise for Drones and US Grand Strategy in the Contemporary World -- Contents -- Abbreviations -- List of Tables -- 1 Introduction -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Drones in Contemporary World Politics -- 1.3 Key Considerations: Drones and US Grand Strategy? -- 1.4 Chapter Outline -- References -- 2 Unmasking the Nexus: Exploring US Grand Strategy and the Dynmmic Role of Drones -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Grand Strategy in Perspective -- 2.2.1 Understanding the Significance and Components of Grand Strategy -- 2.2.2 Challenges and Constraints in Crafting Effective Grand Strategies -- 2.3 Does the US Have a Grand Strategy? -- 2.4 Typologies of US Grand Strategy and Drones -- 2.4.1 Primacy and Drones -- 2.4.2 Restraint and Drones -- 2.4.3 Offshore Balancing and Drones -- 2.4.4 Deep Engagement, Selective Engagement, and Drones -- 2.4.5 Roles of Drones in the World of Selective/Deep Engagement -- 2.5 Drones and US Grand Strategy: The Nexus -- 2.5.1 Tactical vs. Operational vs. Strategic Use of Drones -- 2.5.1.1 US Grand Strategy: Balancing Offensive and Defensive Interpretations -- 2.5.2 Liberalism -- 2.6 US Grand Strategy-A Dynmmic Pendulum -- 2.7 The Drawbacks of Drones for US Grand Strategy -- 2.7.1 Moral and Ethical Dilemma of US Drone Use -- 2.7.2 Drones and Blowback -- 2.7.3 Civilian Casualty and Drones -- 2.7.4 Drone Proliferation -- 2.8 Chapter Summary -- References -- 3 Historicizing the Role of Drones in US Grand Strategy -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.1.1 The Evolutionary Phases of Drone Development (1909-1917) -- 3.1.2 UAVs in the Interwar Period (1918-1938) -- 3.1.3 UAVs, WWII, and US Grand Strategy (1939-1945) -- 3.1.4 UAVs and US Grand Strategy in the Early Cold War (1947-1950) -- 3.1.4.1 US Grand Strategy under Harry Truman and the Militarization of Containment -- 3.1.5 Drones During the Early Cold War.

3.1.5.1 Drones, US Grand Strategy in the Vietnmm War and Korean War of the 1950s -- 3.1.5.2 Richard Nixon's Vietnmmization Policy -- 3.1.5.3 The Efficacy and Utility of Drones in the Korean and Vietnmm Wars -- 3.1.6 Drones, D etente, and the Second Cold War -- 3.1.7 Drones, George H.W. Bush Administration, and the Persian Gulf War -- 3.1.8 Drones, Clinton's Grand Strategy, and the Bosnian War -- 3.2 Chapter Summary -- References -- 4 Drone Warfare and US Grand Strategy During the Bush Administration -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 George W. Bush's Foreign Policy Before and After 9/11 -- 4.3 Bush and the Evolution of Lethal Drone Warfare 2001-2008 -- 4.4 Conjuring Drone Use During the Bush Administration -- 4.5 The Dilemma of Drone Warfare for the Bush Administration's Grand Strategy -- 4.6 Chapter Summary -- References -- 5 Obama's Drone Wars and US Grand Strategy -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 The Making of the Obama Doctrine -- 5.2.1 Did Obama Have a Doctrine? -- 5.2.2 Disengaging America from Iraq -- 5.2.3 Broader Escalation of Counterterrorism -- 5.2.4 Promoting Washington's Exemplarism -- 5.2.5 Pivot to Asia -- 5.2.6 Multilateral Engagement -- 5.2.7 Obama's Second Term and the Rise of "Neorealism" -- 5.2.8 Rise of Neorealism -- 5.3 Obama's Hybrid Defensive Grand Strategy -- 5.4 The Elements, Character, and Phases of Obama's Drone Warfare -- 5.4.1 Elements of Obama's Drone Warfare -- 5.4.2 Signature Strikes and Systematization of Targeted Killing and Kill Lists -- 5.4.3 Expansion of the AUMF and Legitimization of Targeted Killings -- 5.4.4 Targeting American Citizens -- 5.5 Phases of Obama's Drone War -- 5.5.1 The Peak Phase -- 5.5.2 Expansion Phase -- 5.5.3 Staggered Phase -- 5.5.4 Denouement Phase -- 5.6 The Utility of Drones in Obama's Grand Strategy -- 5.6.1 Instrument of Statecraft -- 5.6.2 Casualty Aversion Tool.

5.6.3 Broadening the Latitude of Counterterrorism Cooperation -- 5.6.4 Leverage "Tools" -- 5.7 Dilemma of Obama's Drone Warfare for US Grand Strategy -- 5.7.1 Violation of Territorial Sovereignty and Anti-Americanism -- 5.7.2 Terrorist Recruitment and Retaliation -- 5.7.3 Mounting Civilian Casualty -- 5.7.4 Counterterrorism Paradox -- 5.7.5 Drone Proliferation Among Non-state Actors -- 5.7.6 The Restraint Paradox -- 5.8 Chapter Summary -- References -- 6 The Trump Administration, Drones, and US Grand Strategy -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Deciphering Trump's Doctrine -- 6.3 The Grand Strategy of the Trump Administration -- 6.3.1 America First' and "Fortress America" Grand Strategy -- 6.4 Trump's Drone Warfare -- 6.4.1 Continuities in Trump's Drone Warfare Strategy -- 6.4.2 Discontinuities in Trump's Drone Warfare Strategy -- 6.4.3 Reporting of Civilian Deaths -- 6.4.4 Deregulation of Remote Warfare -- 6.4.5 A New Authorization for AUMF -- 6.4.6 A New Afghan Strategy -- 6.5 Phases of Trump's Drone Wars -- 6.5.1 The Role of Drones in Trump's Grand Strategy -- 6.5.2 Dronification as an "America First" Approach -- 6.5.3 Drones and Fortress America -- 6.5.4 Instrument of Post-9/11 Statecraft -- 6.6 Dilemma of Drone Warfare for Trump's Grand Strategy -- 6.6.1 Civilian Casualty -- 6.6.2 Soft Power Declinism and Global Leadership -- 6.6.3 Hegemonic Overreach -- 6.7 Chapter Summary -- References -- 7 The Dialectics and Dilemma of US Drone Warfare in Afghanistan and Pakistan -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 US Drone Targets in Afghanistan and Pakistan -- 7.2.1 Drone Targets in Pakistan -- 7.2.2 Drone Targets in Afghanistan -- 7.3 Geopolitics of US Drone Pact in Afghanistan and Pakistan -- 7.4 Arguments for Drone Use in Targeted States -- 7.4.1 Arguments Against the Use of Drones in Targeted States -- 7.5 Assessing the Impact of Drone Strikes in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

7.5.1 The Blowback Question -- 7.5.2 Do Drones Cause Blowback in Targeted States? -- 7.5.3 Civilian Casualty Question -- 7.5.4 Quagmire of Anti-Americanism -- 7.5.5 Drones and the Counterterrorism Paradox -- 7.6 Illusion of US Strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan -- 7.7 Chapter Summary -- References -- 8 The Implications of Drone Proliferation for US Grand Strategy -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Race to Drones -- 8.3 US Drone Policy on Proliferation -- 8.4 Debate on Drone Proliferation and Impact on US Objectives -- 8.5 The Implications of Drone Proliferation for US Grand Strategy -- 8.5.1 Global Security Level -- 8.5.2 Vulnerabilities and Susceptibilities -- 8.5.3 Susceptibilities -- 8.5.4 Non-state Actors -- 8.5.5 At National Security Level -- 8.6 The Lessons from US Drone Policy and Implications for Emerging and Superpowers -- 8.7 Chapter Summary -- References -- 9 Conclusion -- 9.1 Drones and the Future of US Grand Strategy -- References -- Index.

This book makes a compelling case that lethal drone deployment as a counterterrorism tool and instrument of statecraft in targeted states engenders far-reaching consequences for US grand strategy. By examining how successive US administrations since 9/11 have deployed drones in pursuant of different typologies of US grand strategic objectives, the book probes the putative political and strategic goals drones supposedly advance, and the impact of its continued proliferation for US for international security. The book provides a powerful base of evidence for policy makers and researchers by pointing to the perils of deployment of drone technology beyond their immediate or short-term objectives. It also explores how non-state actors and authoritarian regimes such as armed groups are harnessing armed drone technologies for their own political and military ends, as well as the underlying implications for US grand strategy and international security at large.

Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources.

Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, Michigan : ProQuest Ebook Central, 2025. Available via World Wide Web. Access may be limited to ProQuest Ebook Central affiliated libraries.