U.S. Military Wants More Drones In Latin America

[woo me with science]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/13/us-military-wants-more-dr_n_1593128.html

U.S. Military Wants More Drones In Latin America
06/13/2012 3:04 pm Updated: 06/13/2012 3:09 pm


The U.S. Military is looking to relocate some of their predator drones, sending some to South and Central America, according to a new article in Wired Magazine.

As US forces come home from Afghanistan, the US military seems to have a surplus of predator drones -- remotely operated unmanned aircraft vehicles often used to carry out attacks and intelligence gathering missions. Drones previously used in Afghanistan will be given to "operational missions by previously undeserved" commands, including those in the Pacific and in Southern America, according to Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton Schwartz. While the exact number of drones, which will be sent to Latin America remains unknown, the implications of their presence remain hotly contested.

Some question whether their presence in the region is even necessary or whether they will be effective in thwarting drug traffickers. Micah Zenko of the Council on Foreign Relations told Wired Magazine that while the drones could help with spy missions in South America, there is no good reason to use their attack capabilities.

“There is no strategic rationale for the United States to be responding to the flow of drugs from Latin America with the tactical use of kinetic force against drug planes or boats you happen to be able to find, ” he said. Furthermore, Zenko noted that the drones might be better used for United Nations peacekeeping operations in regions like Southern Sudan. “3,800 troops deployed right now for an [area] of 2,100 kilometers, with poor roads that wash out in the rainy season,” Zenko told Wired Magazine. “The deployment of these [spy] capabilities, and associated logistics and training infrastructure, would make a huge difference.”

...

[Scootaloo]

1. The US Military seeks excuses to justify its bloated budget, in other words

[HereSince1628]

2. The US military would like to 'checkmate' the world (imo that includes the US)

Consequently, they want, they want, and they want more.

A nation's air space should be sovereign. The US should respect sovereign territory except in DECLARED war.

If a nation want's to contract US military services...Hey! We ARE a capitalist nation and we could charge the market rate with the profits going to US Treasury to pay off all those SS IOU's in those filing cabinets in West Virginia.

[KG]

3. drones drones here, drones drones there, drones drones, baby, everywhere...

the US needs to mellow down easy...

[quinnox]

4. oh wonderful, lets have predator drones flying over every country

in the world, and any time they do something that dares displease us, we can rain death on them from above. Welcome to our world.


USA USA USA!

WE got eyes everywhere, you can't hide. Our drones are ever watchful.