Trump claimed that ‘we would be punishing ourselves’ by using US arms sales to Saudi Arabia as a bargaining chip over the disappearance of Khashoggi. A look at the arms trade shows why he’s wrong.
The MK 15 Phalanx close-in weapons system, on the USS Reuben James guided-missile frigate, fires during an exercise.
Flickr/US Pacific Fleet
We already have some autonomous weapons – so talk of any ban should focus on where we draw the line on what is acceptable, and what is not. Can we at least agree on that?
Mephisto after its capture in France by the Australian 26th Battalion.
Queensland Museum
One hundred years after its capture from the battle fields of France, the last German battle tank of its kind is giving up its secrets to archeologists and forensic analysis.
Google’s new principles on AI under scrutiny.
Pixabay/422737
To justify giving police military-style weapons, there must be both a credible threat and an identified deficiency in current police capabilities.
The controversial $12-billion sale of light armoured vehicles to Saudi Arabia has embroiled Justin Trudeau’s government in controversy. The vehicle in question is shown here at a news conference at a General Dynamics facility in London, Ont., in 2012.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Mark Spowart
Australia is playing a major role in developing legal guidelines that would govern how any war in space is played out. The authors of MILAMOS hope the manual is never actually required.
Robots are currently used by police for bomb disposal. Future versions will be much more sophisticated.
Nigel Roddis/AAP
South Africa’s President Jacob Zuma seems to be making a final push to secure the nuclear power deal before his tenure comes to an end. But it won’t be easy.
How young men justify their need to carry a weapon.
Katie Collins/PA Wire
German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s comments about weapons as part of development for Africa could have the opposite effect if conditions aren’t strict and democratic processes aren’t followed.
There are 100 million uncontrolled small arms and light weapons in African crisis zones.
Reuters/Goran Tomasevic
African governments are open to military aid from the West. However, Germany’s recent remarks about the transfer of weapons to countries battling militants, needs to be approached with caution.
International flags fly at United Nations headquarters, New York City.
Osugi/shutterstock
Treaties banning biological and chemical weapons are in place, and the path is clear to remove nuclear weapons too. Lethal autonomous weapons (killer robots) should be next.
Wonder Woman embodies the male fantasy of warrior women.
Variety.com
Pop culture has always found something sexy about female fighters, who feature in everything from Sumerian hymns and Greek mythology to the new Wonder Woman film.
The San’s arrows may look dainty, but when tipped with poison they are lethal for hunting.
Fred Dawson/Flickr
The early use of poison is one more indicator of an advanced repertoire of behavioural and technological traits that have characterised our species from the earliest times.
American troops drive French Renault FT tanks to the battle line in the Forest of Argonne, France, September 26, 1918.
U.S. National Archives and Records Administration
Daniel Wirls, University of California, Santa Cruz
Trump’s first budget proposal would boost defense spending by US$52 billion, but his desired military buildup is premised on misleading claims and lacks a strategic vision.
Professor, School for the Future of Innovation in Society & School of Computing, Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering, Arizona State University