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Full article published in: International Journal of Intelligence and CounterIntelligence | 2024
Targeted killings have been a polarizing political issue since the first lethal drone strike was
conducted in 2002. In the last decade, literature has debated the merits of targeted killing in
international conflicts. There has been significant legal and ethical controversy over the conduct of
signature strikes, in which individuals are targeted for displaying behaviors or activities that are
consistent with participation in hostilities. This study examines the ethics of signature strikes from
the perspective of intelligence-based targeting, focusing on the ethical implications of targeting
individuals based on behavioral patterns.
It argues that the ethical conduct of signature strikes is contingent on the veracity of
intelligence-based models that are used to identify and validate signature behaviors. It concludes
that, although the practice of signature strikes has been mixed, signature strikes can be ethical when
robust models of participation in hostilities are used.
Research & Innovation
Newsletter
Volume 2 l Issue 4 - 2024
Signature Strike and the Ethics of Targeted Killing
Dr. Ruxandra Vlad
Assistant Professor
Homeland Security Program
Dr. John Hardy
Assistant Professor
Research Section
To read more