The Biden Administration’s Secret Drone Policy (Pilot Episode)

New York Times national security correspondent Charlie Savage reported that the Biden administration has issued a still-classified policy on some types of counterterrorism operations, such as drone strikes and commando raids. That policy, the Presidential Policy Memorandum (PPM), follows earlier guidance from the Obama and Trump administrations. 

For reactions to the PPM, Just Security has a written mini-series from our lineup of expert authors. On this week’s episode, Yale Law School professor Oona Hathaway and New America International Security Program Fellow Luke Hartig discuss the Biden plan and what it all means for U.S. counterterrorism efforts and forever war. 

Show Notes:

• Oona A. Hathaway (@oonahathaway)  
• Luke Hartig (@LukeHartig)
• Just Security mini-series on President Biden’s Presidential Policy Memo (PPM)
• 0:23 Charlie Savage’s NYT article on the PPM
• 2:20 President Obama’s Presidential Policy Guidance (PPG)
• 3:12 President Trump’s Principles, Standards, and Procedures (PSP) 
• 16:33  New York Times coverage of Aug. 29, 2021 Kabul drone strike that killed 10 civilians 
• 17:40 New York Times coverage of March 18, 2019 Baghuz drone strike that killed about 70 civilians 
• 18:20 Azmat Khan’s Pulitzer-winning reporting on U.S. drone strikes in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan 
• Music: “The Parade” by “Hey Pluto!” from Uppbeat: https://uppbeat.io/t/hey-pluto/the-parade (License code: 36B6ODD7Y6ODZ3BX)