I worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on

[Delta4Embassy]

US drone strike consequences
U.S. Drone Strikes Kill Children | Asian Tribune

WARNING: dead children pictures we don't get in the US.

 

[Dante]

I worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on | Heather Linebaugh | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Interesting take from an actual drone pilot. Turns out they're not as precise as the government would have us believe, as if there was any doubt, and they don't simply target militants since they sometimes have no idea who they're targeting at all. Again, as if there was any doubt.

Having no idea who a terrorist (suspected) is is not the same thing as targeting an innocent. Not as precise? What precisely does that mean?

They're purposefully targeting people that they don't know are militants, and then lying about it. That is targeting innocents, however you want to spin it.

If that scenario happens it is a fluke. Targeting known entities and getting assholes meeting with known entities is more like it.

I wonder how many others are killed or hurt when targets get hit. It is doubtful an unknown entity gets targeted often. There has to be a justification for targeting. There is a process to follow

you're just spinning hysteria and bullshit

 

[1776]

Uh yeah, a hellfire missile blows things up and kills people they target.....that ***** thinks she is such an insider, what a joke.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Whenever I read comments by politicians defending the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Predator and Reaper program – aka drones – I wish I could ask them a few questions. I'd start with: "How many women and children have you seen incinerated by a Hellfire missile?" And: "How many men have you seen crawl across a field, trying to make it to the nearest compound for help while bleeding out from severed legs?" Or even more pointedly: "How many soldiers have you seen die on the side of a road in Afghanistan because our ever-so-accurate UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] were unable to detect an IED [improvised explosive device] that awaited their convoy?"

Few of these politicians who so brazenly proclaim the benefits of drones have a real clue of what actually goes on. I, on the other hand, have seen these awful sights first hand.

I knew the names of some of the young soldiers I saw bleed to death on the side of a road. I watched dozens of military-aged males die in Afghanistan, in empty fields, along riversides, and some right outside the compound where their family was waiting for them to return home from the mosque.

I worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on | Heather Linebaugh | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Interesting take from an actual drone pilot. Turns out they're not as precise as the government would have us believe, as if there was any doubt, and they don't simply target militants since they sometimes have no idea who they're targeting at all. Again, as if there was any doubt.

If the powers that be asked the same questions while fighting WW II, we'd all be speaking German or Japanese....Remember this one fact. Peace is maintained at the barrel of a gun.
Why is this? Because human beings given the opportunity will take advantage of the weak.
This bore out when Neville Chamberlain thought it best to institute a policy of appeasement toward Hitler's Nazi Germany....
Like it or not, war is an ugly business.
The death maiming and destruction..Then there is the business side of war.
It sucks, but cannot be avoided sometimes. I'd much rather be on the giving side rather than receiving end.
Did you know that the name given to one of our nuclear missile projects is "Hallmark"?
They named it this because of the commercial tag. "When you care enough to send the very best"..
BTW, I'm not buying the story. Not in full anyway.
These are weapons. Sometimes weapons do not work as intended. Hence the term "casualty of war".

 

[thereisnospoon]

As general Patton said, "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his.".

"Country" might be an outdated concept in some conflicts, but drones are the best way to reach that objective. If you think missiles from a fighter jet or bomber are going to cut down on "collateral damage", you're just stupid.

If you think those are the only options then you're just stupid.

Advanced technology in weaponry saves lives.
If that upsets you, too bad.

 

[thereisnospoon]

If you think missiles from a fighter jet or bomber are going to cut down on "collateral damage", you're just stupid.

This.

But we also need to ask ourselves what our objectives are, and whether we are achieving them.

I concur.

 

[thereisnospoon]

If you think those are the only options then you're just stupid.

It's true that we could send troops in harms way or, we could just get on our knees and bend over I suppose. I guess you would prefer the latter.

And I guess you would prefer just killing random people and pretending they're terrorists.

People are not killed at random. That would be a war crime.
we're not doing war crimes.
What you ignore is that these combatants with cowardice, use civilians as shields.
Would you prefer tea and cookies?

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Having no idea who a terrorist (suspected) is is not the same thing as targeting an innocent. Not as precise? What precisely does that mean?

They're purposefully targeting people that they don't know are militants, and then lying about it. That is targeting innocents, however you want to spin it.

If that scenario happens it is a fluke. Targeting known entities and getting assholes meeting with known entities is more like it.

I wonder how many others are killed or hurt when targets get hit. It is doubtful an unknown entity gets targeted often. There has to be a justification for targeting. There is a process to follow

you're just spinning hysteria and bullshit

Well, see, perhaps if you actually read the op-ed from the woman who actually piloted drones.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

Whenever I read comments by politicians defending the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Predator and Reaper program – aka drones – I wish I could ask them a few questions. I'd start with: "How many women and children have you seen incinerated by a Hellfire missile?" And: "How many men have you seen crawl across a field, trying to make it to the nearest compound for help while bleeding out from severed legs?" Or even more pointedly: "How many soldiers have you seen die on the side of a road in Afghanistan because our ever-so-accurate UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] were unable to detect an IED [improvised explosive device] that awaited their convoy?"

Few of these politicians who so brazenly proclaim the benefits of drones have a real clue of what actually goes on. I, on the other hand, have seen these awful sights first hand.

I knew the names of some of the young soldiers I saw bleed to death on the side of a road. I watched dozens of military-aged males die in Afghanistan, in empty fields, along riversides, and some right outside the compound where their family was waiting for them to return home from the mosque.

I worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on | Heather Linebaugh | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Interesting take from an actual drone pilot. Turns out they're not as precise as the government would have us believe, as if there was any doubt, and they don't simply target militants since they sometimes have no idea who they're targeting at all. Again, as if there was any doubt.

If the powers that be asked the same questions while fighting WW II, we'd all be speaking German or Japanese....Remember this one fact. Peace is maintained at the barrel of a gun.
Why is this? Because human beings given the opportunity will take advantage of the weak.
This bore out when Neville Chamberlain thought it best to institute a policy of appeasement toward Hitler's Nazi Germany....
Like it or not, war is an ugly business.
The death maiming and destruction..Then there is the business side of war.
It sucks, but cannot be avoided sometimes. I'd much rather be on the giving side rather than receiving end.
Did you know that the name given to one of our nuclear missile projects is "Hallmark"?
They named it this because of the commercial tag. "When you care enough to send the very best"..
BTW, I'm not buying the story. Not in full anyway.
These are weapons. Sometimes weapons do not work as intended. Hence the term "casualty of war".

Demagoguery.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

As general Patton said, "The object of war is not to die for your country, but to make the other bastard die for his.".

"Country" might be an outdated concept in some conflicts, but drones are the best way to reach that objective. If you think missiles from a fighter jet or bomber are going to cut down on "collateral damage", you're just stupid.

If you think those are the only options then you're just stupid.

Advanced technology in weaponry saves lives.
If that upsets you, too bad.

Tell that to all the dead civilians killed by drones.

 

[Kevin_Kennedy]

It's true that we could send troops in harms way or, we could just get on our knees and bend over I suppose. I guess you would prefer the latter.

And I guess you would prefer just killing random people and pretending they're terrorists.

People are not killed at random. That would be a war crime.
we're not doing war crimes.
What you ignore is that these combatants with cowardice, use civilians as shields.
Would you prefer tea and cookies?

Read what the actual drone pilot wrote. That is why I provided the link.

 

[thereisnospoon]

Here, learn a little:
"That Woman Is Worth Paying Attention To": Medea Benjamin Explains Why She Disrupted Obama?s Speech | Democracy Now!

So are you admitting to code pink as being a far left organization? or this another lame attempt by you to just post random info and claim it supports your assertions when it does not?

Of course Code Pink is a far left organization. You claimed the far left is not angry about collateral damage, so I showed you that you are quite wrong.

A sunny day with temperatures in the mid 70's angers the far left.
The far left is perpetually miserable. Without this, they'd have no purpose.
The left's M O is their chronic complaining.

 

[Freewill]

Check out your post here:

http://www.usmessageboard.com/energy/332194-the-solar-swindle-5.html

Yes, please check them out. Actually read them instead of letting the voices in your head speak for me.

You made an assumption that in the next 5,000 years we would not be able to figure out what to do with nuclear waste.

I challenged that assumption.

That is not claiming "the government has a 5000 year plan to deal with nuclear waste".

My God, you are dense!

Oh my!

"Ok show the plans and the cost projections for the next 5000 years to up keep this waste. "

Just like that thread you got caught and you got caught on this thread posting links and making claims that were untrue.

Just admit you have nothing! Which would be the first time posting the truth for you.

What matters is that because of one of Obama's first move we don't have a safe plan of what to do with nuclear waste in the near future. Obama shut Yucca mountain as a political favor. I just hope it doesn't come back to bite us all in the butt.

 

[1776]

Losertarians don't give a shit if you are killed by a terrorist, they worry about the terrorist dying.

 

[Freewill]

Whenever I read comments by politicians defending the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Predator and Reaper program – aka drones – I wish I could ask them a few questions. I'd start with: "How many women and children have you seen incinerated by a Hellfire missile?" And: "How many men have you seen crawl across a field, trying to make it to the nearest compound for help while bleeding out from severed legs?" Or even more pointedly: "How many soldiers have you seen die on the side of a road in Afghanistan because our ever-so-accurate UAVs [unmanned aerial vehicles] were unable to detect an IED [improvised explosive device] that awaited their convoy?"

Few of these politicians who so brazenly proclaim the benefits of drones have a real clue of what actually goes on. I, on the other hand, have seen these awful sights first hand.

I knew the names of some of the young soldiers I saw bleed to death on the side of a road. I watched dozens of military-aged males die in Afghanistan, in empty fields, along riversides, and some right outside the compound where their family was waiting for them to return home from the mosque.

I worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on | Heather Linebaugh | Comment is free | theguardian.com

Interesting take from an actual drone pilot. Turns out they're not as precise as the government would have us believe, as if there was any doubt, and they don't simply target militants since they sometimes have no idea who they're targeting at all. Again, as if there was any doubt.

If the powers that be asked the same questions while fighting WW II, we'd all be speaking German or Japanese....Remember this one fact. Peace is maintained at the barrel of a gun.
Why is this? Because human beings given the opportunity will take advantage of the weak.
This bore out when Neville Chamberlain thought it best to institute a policy of appeasement toward Hitler's Nazi Germany....
Like it or not, war is an ugly business.
The death maiming and destruction..Then there is the business side of war.
It sucks, but cannot be avoided sometimes. I'd much rather be on the giving side rather than receiving end.
Did you know that the name given to one of our nuclear missile projects is "Hallmark"?
They named it this because of the commercial tag. "When you care enough to send the very best"..
BTW, I'm not buying the story. Not in full anyway.
These are weapons. Sometimes weapons do not work as intended. Hence the term "casualty of war".

Terror has never shown to work in reality what did 9/11 do for the US? The German cities were burned to the ground but Germany fought on. Dresden didn't have one military reason to be fire bombed, it just was. You need to read "Slaughter House Seven."

I am not judging those back then or their motives for doing what they did.

 

[Freewill]

Yes the far left controls the senate and the WH and the drone strikes have intensified and collateral damage is ten fold of that before Nov 2008.

Sure the far left cares and anyone believing that is just a far left Obama drone.

Are you drinking earlier than usual, because we have had folks on this forum divided on the issue forever but not because of political affiliation.

I supported Bush on this. I support Obama. There are righties and lefties who oppose that on the Board.

Kill the bad guys from the next continent if we can without risking our folks.

this should just be extended to those who play the knock out game. Shoot them save a lot of time and money. Maybe a napalm strike on an inner city. Nah, let's just keep exporting our bombing de jour. I am surprised the faith that those on the left place in the same CIA that they were excoriating for water boarding. But it makes sense. The left screamed about water boarding and what happens? They just start killing them.

 

[Kosh]

Yes the far left controls the senate and the WH and the drone strikes have intensified and collateral damage is ten fold of that before Nov 2008.

Sure the far left cares and anyone believing that is just a far left Obama drone.

Are you drinking earlier than usual, because we have had folks on this forum divided on the issue forever but not because of political affiliation.

I supported Bush on this. I support Obama. There are righties and lefties who oppose that on the Board.

Kill the bad guys from the next continent if we can without risking our folks.

this should just be extended to those who play the knock out game. Shoot them save a lot of time and money. Maybe a napalm strike on an inner city. Nah, let's just keep exporting our bombing de jour. I am surprised the faith that those on the left place in the same CIA that they were excoriating for water boarding. But it makes sense. The left screamed about water boarding and what happens? They just start killing them.

The far left often builds these types of conundrums with their anti-anything not far left rhetoric.

It is typical of the far left as they do NOT care as long as they get their way.

 

[Freewill]

The real problem with drones:

Spy Chips Guiding CIA Drone Strikes, Locals Say | Danger Room | Wired.com

Ten days later, 19 year-old Habibur Rehman made a videotaped “confession” of planting such devices, just before he was executed by the Taliban as an American spy. “I was given $122 to drop chips wrapped in cigarette paper at Al Qaeda and Taliban houses,” he said. If I was successful, I was told, I would be given thousands of dollars.”

But Rehman says he didn’t just tag jihadists with the devices. “The money was good so I started throwing the chips all over. I knew people were dying because of what I was doing, but I needed the money,” he added. Which raises the possibility that the unmanned aircraft — America’s key weapons in its covert war on Pakistan’s jihadists and insurgents — may have been lead to the wrong targets.



One much-disputed Pakistani media report claimed that the drones have killed hundreds of civilians, just to take out a few militants. That’s unlikely. But what’s indisputable is that the robotic planes (and the innocent deaths they’re alleged to cause) have become increasingly controversial, both in Pakistan and in America

 

[deltex1]

If we have superior weaponry we should use it...otherwise what is the sense in having it?

 

[Kosh]

The real problem with drones:

Spy Chips Guiding CIA Drone Strikes, Locals Say | Danger Room | Wired.com

Ten days later, 19 year-old Habibur Rehman made a videotaped “confession” of planting such devices, just before he was executed by the Taliban as an American spy. “I was given $122 to drop chips wrapped in cigarette paper at Al Qaeda and Taliban houses,” he said. If I was successful, I was told, I would be given thousands of dollars.”

But Rehman says he didn’t just tag jihadists with the devices. “The money was good so I started throwing the chips all over. I knew people were dying because of what I was doing, but I needed the money,” he added. Which raises the possibility that the unmanned aircraft — America’s key weapons in its covert war on Pakistan’s jihadists and insurgents — may have been lead to the wrong targets.



One much-disputed Pakistani media report claimed that the drones have killed hundreds of civilians, just to take out a few militants. That’s unlikely. But what’s indisputable is that the robotic planes (and the innocent deaths they’re alleged to cause) have become increasingly controversial, both in Pakistan and in America

This is a common misconception that the CIA is control of drone strikes. Drones exist within the military and the CIA. Not all drone strikes were controlled by the CIA nor are they controlled by the military.

However the orders that constitute a "high value" target comes from the WH.

Pakistan is just ONE of MANY countries where drones are being used.