Against deadly drones

[The Northerner]

Drone warfare — the use of remote-controlled, unmanned aircraft to carry out air strikes against supposed terrorists — is on the rise and has been over the last few years. According to the New York Times, "the Obama administration has decisively embraced the drone." Where the Pentagon had 50 such devices 10 years ago, it now has 7000; the United States has conducted more than 300 drone strikes since 2004 (including 118 in 2010 alone), killing an estimated 1500 to 2300 suspected militants.

But despite the seductiveness of low(er) cost weaponry and fewer American fatalities, some say that the use of drones is not the "legal, ethical, and wise" strategy that the Obama administration claims.

In her new book, Drone Warfare: Killing by Remote Control (OR Books), anti-war activist Medea Benjamin calls drones "a growing menace."

American military and intelligence officials are developing "a PlayStation mentality toward war," says Benjamin, who helped found both CodePink and Global Exchange, two advocacy organizations that support international peace and human rights. "They're killing people on the other side of the world, whose language they don't know, whose culture they don't understand . . . It's surreal."

Benjamin, who will make several stops in Maine this week, has been following this issue for almost a decade; it wasn't until post-9/11 that American use of drones became increasingly commonplace in countries like Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Yemen. She often asks people if they have seen a photograph of a drone-strike victim. Usually the answer is no.

Read more: http://portland.thephoenix.com/news/141236-against-deadly-drones/


Perhaps if images of the slaughtered civilians and terrorism "suspects" were publicized and circulated more often any approval of drone strikes would plummet significantly.

[HopeHoops]

1. Ever see the movie "Toys" with Robin Williams? It predicted this.

The evil uncle bussed in school kids to play video games while said video games were controlling drones. It sounds like a stupid movie, but if you watch it closely you'll understand where they were going with it. It just came out too early.

On Edit: "Father always said that war toys were the domain of the small penis" (Robin Williams)

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. Every iteration of warfare weaponery has made killing easier, more expedient, or more removed.

the fist, the blade, the bow, the gun, artillery, bombs, cruise missiles... all an evolutions in weaponry.

What's so different about the drone? I mean, ICBMs and Cruise Missiles let someone sitting hundreds of miles away kill by pushing a button and have been around for DECADES. Heck, they're indiscriminate weapons to boot.... at least drone weaponry is somewhat discrete.

[Fumesucker]

3. It's becoming more obvious that it's really only a matter of time before humans are out of the loop.

The idea of a machine hunting humans raises some deep atavistic fears.

It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.

[SidDithers]

4. 263...nt

Sid

[Mnemosyne]

5. ...