The legal implications are complicated, but the operational effectiveness of unmanned aircraft is unambiguous.

Last year, U.S. aircraft flew just under 7,000 combat sorties, launching nearly 6,000 bombs and missiles. And that is just the sharp end of the spear.

Thirteen years after the September 11th attacks launched a global war on terror, the U.S. has found a new enemy in ISIS. But is this really back to the future?

Whether and how the Iraqi state evolves during this crisis might well determine whether the U.S. is looking at yet another 30 years.