In 2005, the U.S. and Israel allegedly used a computer virus (Stuxnet) to hobble the Iranian nuclear program. The U.S. is believed to operate over 7,362 unmanned aerial systems (UAVs). Many decry Russia’s “weaponization” of the internet and social media to interfere with elections. What’s in store for the future of technology and warfare? How do these weapons change how we think about the costs and benefits of military intervention?
Professor John Yoo recently co-authored a new book: Striking Power: How Cyber, Robots, and Space Weapons Change the Rules for War. The book explores how these new weapons change the rules of warfare. Professor Yoo notes that these weapons may become a better solution than other alternatives because new weapons can be more effective and minimize harm. Professor Yoo is currently the Emanuel S. Heller Professor of Law at the University of California, Berkeley. He was also appointed as the Deputy Assistant U.S. Attorney General during the Bush Administration.