Individuals who are not clearly participating in armed combat are entitled by international law to a presumption of civilian status, which signature strikes effectively deny by classifying unknown people as "militants" and therefore "targetable" based on secret intelligence, of unknown accuracy, that their behavior or appearance is judged to be "typical of militants."
Signature strikes have led to a high proportion of civilian casualties, which violates international law. U.S. refusal to acknowledge the potential harm to civilians can increase blowback from impacted communities and denies victims the justice they deserve. ‘Signature’ drone strikes pose the greatest risk of killing civilians, are the most dubious legally, and create tremendous blowback against America.
-- Brave New Foundation
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