President Peace’s Predators
Seems like President Barack Obama — Nobel Peace Laureate Obama – has taken his predecessor’s predator drone program and jacked it up with steroids. The New Yorker’s Jane Mayer reports this week that the number of Obama-authorized strikes in Pakistan equals the sum launched by the Bush Administration — in the last three years of his tenure. Wow. And the Republicans were worried that he wouldn’t be man enough. Mayer’s article goes on to detail two predator drone programs — one publicly acknowledged by the U.S Military, the other directed by the C.I.A:
From Mayer: The U.S. government runs two drone programs. The military’s version, which is publicly acknowledged, operates in the recognized war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq, and targets combatants in support of U.S. troops stationed there. The C.I.A.’s program is aimed at terror suspects around the world, including in places where U.S. troops are not based. The program is classified as covert, and the C.I.A. declines to provide any information to the public about where it operates, how it selects targets, who is in charge, or how many people have been killed. Nevertheless, reports of fatal air strikes in Pakistan emerge every few days. According to a new study by the New America Foundation, the number of drone strikes has gone up dramatically since Obama became President. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the defense contractor that manufactures the Predator and its more heavily armed sibling, the Reaper, can barely keep up with the government’s demand. With public disenchantment mounting over the U.S. troop deployment in Afghanistan, many in Washington support an even greater reliance on Predator strikes. And because of the program’s secrecy, there is no visible system of accountability in place. Peter W. Singer, the author of “Wired for War,” a recent book about the robotics revolution in modern combat, argues that the drone program is worryingly “seductive,” because it creates the perception that war can be “costless.” Cut off from the realities of the bombings in Pakistan, Americans have been insulated from the human toll, as well as the political and moral consequences.
Sean
October 19th, 2009 at 3:38 pm
The drones could be the key to getting us mostly out of there. If you have a smaller easy to protect base that sends out drones to do attacks, then you are still doing the job but without the same amount of troops. It sounds good to me.
Of course, it is really hard not making Terminator jokes.
Heathcliff_Maw
October 19th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
It seems the mission of our military has been lost on some who criticize Obama for accepting a peace prize while escalating a war and threatening Iran. Consider the U.S. Navy's new recruiting slogan, "America's Navy: a global force for good."
You see, we are a benevolent global empire now, similar in benevolence to the British empire of a century ago. When we blow up villages with Predator (such a misleading name) strikes, it is for good.
Heathcliff_Maw
October 19th, 2009 at 6:00 pm
It seems the mission of our military has been lost on those who criticize Obama for accepting a peace prize while escalating a war and threatening Iran. Consider the U.S. Navy's new recruiting slogan, "America's Navy: a global force for good."
You see, we are a benevolent global empire now, similar in benevolence to the British empire of a century ago. When we blow up villages with Predator (such a misleading name) strikes, it is for good.
Escalted Airstrikes Fuel Rise in Terrorist Recruiting Among Westerners « Little Alex in Wonderland
October 19th, 2009 at 11:37 am
[...] Jane Mayer at The New Yorker, Kelley B. Vlahos at AntiWar.com wrote today that the Obama Administration has taken the Bush Administration’s Predator drone program and [...]
andy
October 19th, 2009 at 9:51 pm
"America's Navy: a global force for good."
Hmm..if it's a "global" force, then isn't it really a "global" navy? And isn't "global" just a code-word for empire? A Freudian slip?
Whatever happened to the idea that the U.S. navy should be to defend America, and ONLY America?
Peaceful_Idiot
October 19th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Yes and I'm sure you'd be saying the same thing if we were discussing a Chinese base in say Texas. Just sit in the base and send out the killbots. Or send them from home, unmarked.
joseph a canzoneri
October 20th, 2009 at 1:02 am
WOW , this article has me thinking now. if we have drones that attack "them" how long till they have drones that can attck "us" ? HERE, IN THE GOOD OL USA ?
Andy
October 20th, 2009 at 4:14 am
Don't you know Joseph? Our drones are fighting them over there so their drones won't fight ours over here.
P.S. I think their drones hate our drones because ours are "free".
richard vajs
October 20th, 2009 at 3:22 am
Talk about your hubris – we have become Zeus, hurling our thunderbolts from the sky at mere mortals. Great innovation – death and destruction coming unexpectedly from the sky at no risk to the aggressor. What makes anyone think that it will never be our turn? The Golden Rule of Karma – “what goes around, comes around”.
PurgPilgrim
October 20th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
There's only one difference between a suicide bomber who kills innocent bystanders and a predetor which kills innocent bystanders; the delivery system. The two methods of wagging war are simply low-tech and high-tech versions the same immorality.
hardtruth
October 20th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
"There's only one difference between a suicide bomber who kills innocent bystanders and a predetor which kills innocent bystanders; the delivery system. "
Crap. The suicide bomber passes the moral test of being prepared to die for the cause he kills for. The honourless turds flying drones do not.
Perun
October 21st, 2009 at 7:49 am
The Assassin in Chief who issues and approves request for drones has a cause, it is enslavement of peoples not wiling to be DOMINATED by Nazi Anglo-American Terrorist Organization.
Lester_Ness
October 21st, 2009 at 7:56 am
The survivors of the people being "collaterally damaged" to death know who's to blame. They will certainly figure out some way to take revenge. So, no, ultimately, it is not a good way to wage war.
Lester_Ness
October 21st, 2009 at 7:57 am
Probably not long to figure out some other way to kill us at home.
Lester_Ness
October 21st, 2009 at 7:58 am
The Predator operator can pretend he's playing a video game.
Lester_Ness
October 21st, 2009 at 7:59 am
I would guess that suicide bombers are recruited from people already suicidal. They are common enough everywhere.
ObamaKoolAidDrinker
October 21st, 2009 at 11:53 am
America loves to bomb other countries from the safety of the skies.
Now with these drones, the USA can do so without even using a pilot, and bomb from the safety of some distant military base or warship.
America is not only the true Evil Empire, it's a cowardly Empire at that.
A nation of hi-tech cowards.
Sean
October 21st, 2009 at 12:29 pm
/ And I thought you would only find nut comments on the Right wing blogs.
i
i
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Carlos Da Silva
October 21st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
"Oh white dove of Peace
Why are you so ineffective?
Every where I see
your innocent wings spread
Usually as an ad sign
above methadone clinics
refugee camps
and close to ganglands.
Those who fly your sign
offer but kind words
and sweets
Against needles
machetes
and .45 Colts
Why are your ways so docile?
When the stick of those who beat you
have a rusty nail attached to it?
Your olive branch is either vandalized
or pulled out of context
and drawn on a Virgin Bottle,
for cooking.
Why does
Soap, chocolate ice cream bars
Benign, sluggish
carry your Name?
Dove of Peace,
Do you see that Eagle of War circling above you?
It is hungry, return to your lair!
Your useless skinny wings
Are no match for its Razor Claws
Its Nightvision
Its Vector thruster wings
You are Doomed
Dove of Peace,
Your name is brought up in Fancy Speeches,
But No One comes to your Funeral!
Or is it Funerals?
Your birth is a big deal,
yet you die
Like a quiet, obedient dog
Under the stairs of the basement
Away from caring eyes."
denk
October 21st, 2009 at 5:38 pm
we yanks reserve the right of SELF DEFENCE, such as retaliating against a threatening car park in iraq etc etc……
http://tinyurl.com/yfo23du
vleo
October 21st, 2009 at 6:09 pm
Now – how is this NEW TECHNOLOGY fundamentally different from MISSILE STRIKES – or … ICBM missile strikes…
- it is less expensive
- less noise
- ICBM had be "traditionally" limited to nuclear warhead
- main advantage of drones – they send "real-time" information about the target
Well – engaging in this mode of remotely hitting any part of the globe is problematic – we don't know what may be long term consequences for this for the US.
Now – I'm so glad I'm living one place that is safe from spontaneous US strikes – with any kind of weapon, except for The Weapon, but since that has to be mutual – I'm all for it. I will gladly give my life away to wipe out The Empire (any Empire for that matter :-)
It IS possible to "sweep under the carpet" the hatred of the 5/6th of the human race, but long term, talking tens of years – that would result in the termination of the USA. 1/6th of humanity does not stand against 5/6th. And MOTIVATION. People in the US don't have the motivation to put all their energy, all their will, all their capacity towards the goal of maintaining the control – since the control is already there.
Think about Byzantine Empire vs. European countries during the middle ages – circa 1204. Thousand years long Empire as a matter of fact.
Think about some New Ultimate Weapon. Think not drones, think nano-robots. Think about strange sequences of events – radical cooling of climate in the Nothern America. Think about strange geological events – think about tectonic plates shifting abruptly.
This is what happens sooner of later if 1/6th controls the rest with harsher and harsher means – that what will happen when ruling the world with DRONES.
But this is fun :-) All Empires to away – we just don't know when – it may be one year, it may be 10 years it may be even 100 or 700 hundred – but since the tempo of life is much higher these days, I'd bet on shorter numbers.
ObamaKoolAidDrinker
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:59 am
Consider the U.S. Navy's new recruiting slogan, "America's Navy: a global force for good."
The American Navy's new propaganda slogan is truly hilarious. The US Navy is a force for good? More like a force for evil.
But I bet a majority proud Americans would actually believe in this shite.
Obama Escalates Controversial Predator Drone Attacks on Pakistan | NYU Local
October 22nd, 2009 at 6:01 am
[...] a country riddled with Taliban fighters and terrorists but no US troops. President Obama has ordered as many drone attacks in Pakistan as Bush did in his last three years in office combined. Approximately a third of drone [...]
andy
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:42 pm
The ancient Spartans used to call the bow and arrow the coward's weapon. One wonders what they would think of the weaponry of the U.S. military today.
Kaj pravzaprav hoče Barack Obama? : Jinov svet
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:33 am
[...] s tem pa pripravlja mnogo hujšo vojno, kot je bila in je tista v Iraku. Če ne verjamete, po poročanju The New Yorkerja je demokratski predsednik v svojem kratkem času na oblasti avtoriziral več napadov z [...]
Alan MacDonald
October 28th, 2009 at 2:08 am
We should serious start thinking about lobbying for a law that would explicitly ban Predators / Hellfires from being used in the U.S.
Alan MacDonald
Sanford, Maine
olliepollie
October 30th, 2009 at 9:47 pm
moral high ground for the US? – it was NEVER there in the first place! Wake up! The people the US fool the best is themselves and often successfully, even their glib white collar liberals. "Oh gee – was that an illegal election we had a few years back?"
Israel Threatens New Aggression Against Gaza After U.S. Stamps Approval of War Crimes « Little Alex in Wonderland
November 4th, 2009 at 5:49 pm
[...] international law”. Citing Jane Mayer at The New Yorker on October 19, Kelley B. Vlahos at AntiWar.com that the Obama Administration has taken the Bush Administration’s Predator drone program and [...]
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