Robotic weapons and democratic decision-making

Robotic weapons are changing traditional views of what is war and how it is fought. On account of these pervasive transformations, robotic weapons give rise to ethical, legal, and social issues (ELS issues) that are both novel and imminent. This combination of novelty and imminence is not found in connection with many other robotic systems and technologies. Proportionality and discrimination requirements for just and fair conduct of war have been the major focus of ELS analyses of robotic weapons. We examine here less explored ELS issues concerning decision-making processes about present and prospective uses of robotic weapons. First, we analyze the 2011 presidential decision to go on with US military op-erations in Libya past the deadline imposed by a 1973 treatise regulating the dis-tribution of jus ad bellum powers between US President and Congress. Second, we analyze public discussion and democratic decision-making about prospective uses of robotic weapons in the agnotogenetic context, thay is, in the context of mechanisms generating ignorance about robotic weapons.