The findings of the inquiry mirrored a New York Times investigation of video evidence, along with interviews with more than a dozen of the driver’s co-workers and family members in Kabul.
Tag Archives: Drones (Pilotless Planes)
Pentagon Defends Deadly Drone Strike in Kabul
A New York Times investigation, with video analysis and interviews at the site, has cast doubt on the U.S. military’s account.
In U.S. Drone Strike, Evidence Suggests No ISIS Bomb
U.S. officials said a Reaper drone followed a car for hours and then fired based on evidence it was carrying explosives. But in-depth video analysis and interviews at the site cast doubt on that account.
Military Analysis Raises Questions About Deadly Drone Strike in Kabul
A preliminary analysis said that it was “possible to probable” that explosives were in the car and that drone operators took only a cursory scan of the courtyard before launching an attack.
How the U.S. Made War Humane and Endless
The withdrawal from Afghanistan is a final step in the transformation of American warfare into something sanitized and edited out of view.
Why Biden Didn’t See the ISIS-K Threat Until Too Late
Twenty years later, the terrorism threat from Afghanistan hasn’t faded. And militant competition from ISIS-K has merely increased the stakes.
Biden Didn’t See the ISIS-K Threat in Afghanistan Until Too Late
Twenty years later, the terrorism threat from Afghanistan hasn’t faded. And militant competition from ISIS-K has merely increased the stakes.
U.S. Conducts Drone Strike in Kabul and Winds Down Airlift as Deadline Nears
The strike eliminated what U.S. officials called an imminent terrorist threat. With the military evacuation of Afghans over, the United States and others say they will still get people out.
Afghanistan Collapse and Strikes in Somalia Raise Snags for Drone Warfare Rules
But the Biden administration is close to finishing a new playbook for counterterrorism strikes outside conventional war zones.
Amid Afghan Chaos, a C.I.A. Mission That Will Persist for Years
The spy agency had plans to de-emphasize counterterrorism operations to focus on rising global powers. History got in the way.
Ex-Intelligence Analyst Is Sentenced for Leaking to a Reporter
The former U.S. contractor admitted to disclosing details of the government’s drone warfare program.
F.A.A. Committee Recommends a Pivot to Gender-Neutral Terminology
The committee suggested that the aviation administration replace words and phrases including “cockpit” and “man-made” with terms like “flight deck” and “manufactured.”
Pentagon Weighs Proposal to Send Dozens of Troops Back to Somalia
The plan for a “train and assist” mission would partly reverse President Donald J. Trump’s withdrawal of nearly all American ground forces from the country.
U.S. Weighs Possibility of Airstrikes if Afghan Forces Face Crisis
The Pentagon is considering whether to intervene with warplanes or drones in the event that Kabul is in danger of falling to the Taliban, though no decisions have been made.
C.I.A. Scrambles for New Approach in Afghanistan
The rapid withdrawal of U.S. troops has left the agency seeking ways to maintain its intelligence-gathering, war-fighting and counterterrorism operations in the country.
1,500 Eggs Were Waiting to Hatch. Then a Drone Crashed.
The authorities said they were hoping to identify the operator of a drone that crashed in a nesting area for elegant terns, leading 2,500 of the birds to flee the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, Calif.
Iran’s Proxies in Iraq Threaten U.S. With More Sophisticated Weapons
Iran-backed militias in Iraq are suspected of carrying out recent drone strikes on sensitive American targets in Iraq, evading U.S. defenses.
Libyan Fighters Attacked by a Potentially Unaided Drone, U.N. Says
A United Nations report suggested that a drone, used against militia fighters in Libya’s civil war, may have selected a target autonomously.
Libyan Fighters Attacked by a Potentially Unaided Drone, UN Says
A United Nations report suggested that a drone, used against militia fighters in Libya’s civil war, may have selected a target autonomously.
Pentagon Struggles to Wean Afghan Military Off American Air Support
Afghan commanders are asking for more help from American warplanes, illustrating their dependency on American air power.
Biden Discloses Some of Trump’s Secret Drone Strike Rules
The release of the 2017 policy — with redactions — stemmed from open-records lawsuits by The Times and the A.C.L.U.
U.S. Is Expected to Approve Some Arms Sales to U.A.E. and Saudis
The Biden administration is close to completing a review of Trump-era weapons sales to the two Gulf Arab states. Democrats in Congress oppose the deals.
Does Biden Really Want to End the Forever Wars?
If he does, he must work with Congress and go well beyond narrowing old permission slips for conflict.
Drone Video of Bowling Alley Wins Praise From Hollywood
A drone video shot in a Minneapolis bowling alley was hailed as an instant classic. One Hollywood veteran said it “adds to the language and vocabulary of cinema.”
Remote C.I.A. Base in the Sahara Steadily Grows
The agency has been conducting surveillance flights from the base, which has grown since 2018. Any drone strikes would be limited while the Biden administration carries out a review.
Biden Secretly Limits Counterterrorism Drone Strikes Away From War Zones
Requiring higher-level approval is a stopgap measure as officials review whether to tighten Trump-era targeting rules and civilian safeguards.
Rangers’ Don Wakamatsu Sanitizes Stadium Using Drones
Don Wakamatsu’s day job is bench coach of the Rangers, but his background in farming led to an interesting solution for how to help fans feel safe.
Away From Silicon Valley, the Military Is the Ideal Customer
While much has been made of tech’s unwillingness to work with the Pentagon, start-ups are still plumbing the industry’s decades-long ties to the military.
U.S. Airstrike Kills Top ISIS Leader in Iraq
The joint operation with Iraqi forces was aimed at stemming the group’s resurgence, and illustrates Iraq’s continued reliance on the U.S. military.
In Reversal, Pentagon Announces Aircraft Carrier Nimitz to Remain in Middle East
The acting defense secretary abruptly reversed his previous order to redeploy the Nimitz, which he had done over the objections of his top military advisers.
The Tech That Was Fixed in 2020 and the Tech That Still Needs Fixing
From videoconferencing to fitness apps, the best tech helped us endure a hard year. But there were also low points.
Pentagon Weighs Sharp Drawback in Support for C.I.A.
A broad review of the military’s support for the agency is underway, including pulling back personnel and rethinking support for C.I.A. operations around the world.
Police Drones Are Starting to Think for Themselves
In one Southern California city, flying drones with artificial intelligence are aiding investigations while presenting new civil rights questions.
Trump Orders All American Troops Out of Somalia
While the number of troops — about 700 — is small, it is a continuation of President Trump’s efforts to withdraw the United States from what he has described as endless wars.
Pentagon Chief Visits Somalia Ahead of Expected Troop Cuts
Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller met with troops and commanders in the region as turmoil bedevils the nation with approaching elections and an enduring threat from the Shabab.
When Sharks Turned Up at Their Beach, They Called in Drones
A goal of the SharkEye project is to one day produce automated “shark reports” for beachgoers to help them gauge levels of risk.
Al Qaeda Feels Losses in Syria and Afghanistan but Stays Resilient
American drones and U.S. allies killed several Qaeda leaders and operatives in the past week. But the organization has “ingrained itself in local communities and conflicts,” according to the U.N.
Amazon Unveils Drone That Films Inside Your Home. What Could Go Wrong?
On social media, people had some concerns about the Ring Always Home Cam. To put it mildly.
U.S. Commandos Use Secretive Missiles to Kill Qaeda Leaders in Syria
The specially designed missiles use sharp blades and blunt force, rather than explosive warheads, to kill terrorist leaders.
U.S. Military Seeks Authority to Expand Counterterrorism Drone War to Kenya
Draft rules for potential airstrikes, drawn up after a Shabab attack at a base in January, are said to be limited and would require Kenyan assent.
Drone Delivery? Amazon Moves Closer With F.A.A. Approval
The agency said it had issued a certificate clearing the way for the company to use drones to fly packages to its customers’ doorsteps.
Bald Eagle Sends Government Drone Into Lake Michigan
A Michigan state environmental agency, which is abbreviated E.G.L.E., lost a $950 drone in the aerial battle.
Trump Administration Plans to Bypass Arms Control Pact to Sell Large Armed Drones
The move has been opposed internally by arms control officials and lawmakers trying to limit the proliferation of such drones, especially in countries like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Popular Chinese-Made Drone Is Found to Have Security Weakness
Researchers found a potential vulnerability in an app that helps power the drones, highlighting U.S. officials’ concerns that Beijing could get access to information about Americans.
$174 Million Afghan Drone Program Is Riddled With Problems, U.S. Report Says
Overhead surveillance is critical to fighting the Taliban, but the American military’s effort to equip Afghan forces has fallen short, according to an independent watchdog.
Behold Vermont, From Above
These aerial images, stunning in their abstraction, evoke a powerful sense of transcendence and tranquility.
U.S. Used Missile With Long Blades to Kill Qaeda Leader in Syria
Special Operations forces used a secret weapon designed to limit civilian casualties to strike the Qaeda veteran this month.
U.S. Watched George Floyd Protests in 15 Cities Using Aerial Surveillance
From Minneapolis to Buffalo, Homeland Security officials dispatched drones, helicopters and airplanes to monitor Black Lives Matter protests.
Kept Out of the Library, a School District Tries Summer Reading by Drone
A Virginia school district, determined not to let a pandemic keep students from their summer reading, is delivering books to students via the drone company run by Alphabet.
The Drones Were Ready for This Moment
While humans hunker below, aerial robots are taking over as cops, street cleaners, medical assistants, delivery workers and soon — friends?