Friday, March 5, 2010
Predator Drones. For better or for worse?
For better or for worse in the year 2008 there was a 94% increase when it came to the number of Predator Drones being used in action. These drones in today in the war against the Taliban and al-Qaeda are firing Hellfire anti-armor missiles and are killing many innocent civilians. Now I understand that there is reasons for using these drones, it is a way to make sure that we do not lose as many soldiers, however are innocent lives a fair trade off? Some may say that these people may grow up to be terrorists one day, but is it this day? And how can one determine if someone else is going to end up killing thousands? Doesn't the fact that a person can be in Nevada and be killing people all the way across the world make him more or less of a killer? I feel as though the complete detachment from the situation would be unnerving. The video game perspective is odd in and of itself. I simply think that if we don't want our own soldiers dying then we shouldn't be at war. I understand the appeal to the drones, who wouldn't want to be sepperated from the battle but just as much a part of it? At any given point there are at least forty drones in the air, thousands of miles away from their desk bound flyers. These drones are opperated by two men holding on to joysticks. They simply watch a play by play video of what is happening in Iraq and find the enemies from the air and fire at will. It takes no longer then 1.7 seconds for the transmition to be sent over twelve different time zones. These drones carry a 500 pound bomb that will leave a crator fifteen feet wide and two feet deep. There is also a stitsic that states that only 15% are the drones fired at an identified target. The other 85% of the time I guess they just don't care. The Obama administration has approved skyrocketing usage of drones 400 hours a day, a 300 percent increase.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Athena,
ReplyDeleteWow! A great post (and a great topic--I'm impressed that you've already managed to do some research into it). I think the strongest argument against your position will likely be the level of safety for our troops that this 'long-distance' war allows; however, your counter arguments regarding the 'detachment' involved in this sort of killing (the dehumanizing video game aspect of the process) will be powerful as well.
Don't get too hung up on the research (though the sorts of statistics you cite are useful). Keep focused on the moral repugnance of the idea of being able to push a button somewhere in Nevada and have someone (too often, innocent civilians) die 6,000 miles away.
Again, good topic--I'm anxious to see your first draft.