Exclusive: The Drone Papers

A Global Investigation into the Human Cost of the CIA's Covert Drone War

By The Intercept

In the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the United States government embarked on a secret program of targeted killings using unmanned drones. The program, which has been carried out in Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, and other countries, has killed thousands of people, including many civilians.

The Intercept has obtained a cache of leaked documents that provide an unprecedented look inside the CIA's drone program. The documents reveal that the program has been far more deadly than previously known, and that the CIA has repeatedly misled the public about the number of civilians killed in drone strikes.

The documents also show that the CIA has targeted American citizens without charge or trial, and that it has killed innocent people in its pursuit of suspected terrorists.

The Intercept's investigation is based on a trove of more than 100 classified documents, including internal CIA memos, drone strike logs, and after-action reports. The documents were provided to The Intercept by a whistleblower within the U.S. government.

"These documents show that the CIA's drone program is a reckless and lawless killing machine," said Jeremy Scahill, The Intercept's co-founder and lead reporter on the investigation. "The program has killed thousands of innocent people, and the CIA has lied about it every step of the way."

The Intercept's investigation is a major new development in the ongoing debate over the use of drones in warfare. The investigation provides clear evidence that the CIA's drone program is out of control and must be stopped.