Post 16

In this post I will argue that drones create extreme inequity to the nations who cannot afford them and to the people who suffer from their lethality. A drone is “an unmanned aircraft or ship guided by remote control or onboard computers” (http://www.merriam-webster.com). Basically, a drone does not require a human to be inside it or even near it, meaning that its pilot can be thousands of miles away, controlling it with a joystick, just like in a video game. In many ways, the onset of drones in warfare has changed how war occurs or is fought. Drones offer protection to the soldiers because they can either scout ahead and/or destroy a target without human proximity or assistance.

Another way in which warfare has changed is that soldiers rarely face each other in a firefight. Nowadays, tactical instruments are used such as robots and drones that seek out and destroy a target or suspect. But, how accurate are drones in reality? Yes, one could argue that drones have eliminated many of the terrorists on the “Most Wanted” list. But how many unintended consequences have there been? From the presentation on drones on Friday, October 31, 2014, I remember one of the speakers saying that many innocent civilians die because of their proximity to the intended target. This leads to a change in mentality that is not healthy for any human being. After killing with a drone, many pilots have been known to describe their targets as “bugs” that can be squashed. This creates a sense of false dominance just because one person possesses the ability to kill others from a drone.

Besides the obvious shifts in mental attitude towards other human beings, the use of drone technology contributes to inequity across the world. Countries like the USA and Israel are developing thousands of drones but countries that cannot afford them would stand no chance in technological warfare. Also, those who are affected by drone warfare, often times cannot fight back because they do not have the weaponry to “take them down” or launch drone attacks of their own. The USA can argue all they want that human lives are being saved through the use of drones, but what about the innocent people who die in the Middle East from drone attacks meant for terrorists?

Sources

"Drone." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster. Web. 7 Nov. 2014. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/drone>.

Drone panel presentation at RPI.