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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region Forums5 Myths Used to Justify Death By Drone and America's Assassination Policy
http://www.alternet.org/world/5-big-myths-used-justify-death-drone-and-americas-imperial-assassination-policy***SNIP
Myth #1: They Target High Level Terrorists
Only two percent of drone strikes have killed high value targets, former counter-terror advisor to David Patreus, David Kilcullen, notoriously remarked in a New York Times column early in the Obama presidency, where he said that 50 civilians were killed for every high-value target assassinated. That means that 98 percent of drone-caused deaths have been a mix of low-level militants, civilians, or another dubious Pentagon classification called unknown militants.
***SNIP
Myth#2: Drones Are Accurate
The Pentagon rhetoric touting pin point and laser accuracy of drones is baseless. Dr. Larry Lewis, a principal research scientist at the Center for Naval Analyses, a research group with close ties to the US military, studied the record in Afghanistan and found that drone strikes were no more accurate than traditional air power. So, after all this talk about the ability to discern enemies through surveillance, they are no more accurate traditional fly-bys. This rhetoric has allowed us to kill innocent children.
***SNIP
Myth #3: Drone Targets Imminently Threaten America
The mainstream media have played into the CIA/Administrations selective leaks about drones, especially the concept of a kill list. This military branding conjures up a process of carefully selected enemies who pose imminent threats to the U.S. However, the reality of signature strikes undercuts this P.R. construction.
***SNIP
Myth #4 Drones Are Cheap
Setting aside the moral, legal, and efficacy arguments about drones, the mantra from the administration, lobbyists and their lackeys in Congress has been drones low per-unit cost of $4 million to $5 million. According to Winslow Wheeler of the Project On Government Oversight, This is quite incorrect. He states, The actual cost for a Reaper unit is $120.8 million in 2012 dollars. This is far above the $27.2 million dollar F-16C or the $18.8 million A-10. Seemingly, this aura of inevitability about investing in this new revolutionizing weapon is the military-industrial-complex at its self-serving worst.
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5 Myths Used to Justify Death By Drone and America's Assassination Policy (Original Post)
xchrom
Aug 2013
OP
Indiscriminate murder: "50 civilians were killed for every “high-value target” assassinated."
chimpymustgo
Aug 2013
#4
More proof the "War on Terrorism" is meant to go on indefinitely, as we make at least as many
RC
Aug 2013
#8
Drone murders are TERROR by the US government,. this is the war OF terror.
Civilization2
Aug 2013
#9
cali
(114,904 posts)1. kick for visibility. The administration's drone use is unconscionable.
The Link
(757 posts)2. This will be the legacy of this administration.
warrant46
(2,205 posts)5. History will judge these criminals
Harshly
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)4. Indiscriminate murder: "50 civilians were killed for every “high-value target” assassinated."
Melinda
(5,465 posts)6. Why do you hate 'Murica?
I mean, what's a little BUG-SPLAT anyway?
And so, to not offend any delicate sensibilities on DU, I'll refrain from posting the pics of dead babies blown apart by American drones. We ARE the very monsters we decry. And I am ashamed of my country.
Moral Compass
(1,498 posts)7. K&R
Obama's continued enthusiastic use of drones is an indelible black mark on his administration.
RC
(25,592 posts)8. More proof the "War on Terrorism" is meant to go on indefinitely, as we make at least as many
terrorists as we say we kill.
Just how can so many people living in 3rd world countries be a threat to the United States, the last remaining world power, when they are over 5000 miles away and do not have the resources to get here?
Maybe if we did not have so many military bases all over their territories, their countries, their lands, if we were not killing so many families, men. women and children, they would not feel they have to defend and avenge themselves themselves against us, US, by the only way they can.
Fighting terrorism is a self perpetuating fight. The more people you kill and maim, the more terrorists you make, to avenge the deaths of the relatives and friends we murder. In the Middle East, we are the worlds worst terrorist, bar none. We have the bloody history to prove it.
Just how can so many people living in 3rd world countries be a threat to the United States, the last remaining world power, when they are over 5000 miles away and do not have the resources to get here?
Maybe if we did not have so many military bases all over their territories, their countries, their lands, if we were not killing so many families, men. women and children, they would not feel they have to defend and avenge themselves themselves against us, US, by the only way they can.
Fighting terrorism is a self perpetuating fight. The more people you kill and maim, the more terrorists you make, to avenge the deaths of the relatives and friends we murder. In the Middle East, we are the worlds worst terrorist, bar none. We have the bloody history to prove it.
Jerry442
(1,265 posts)10. Absolutely right. Drone warfare is like crack cocaine.
Whatever else it does, it generates the need for more, more, more.
Civilization2
(649 posts)9. Drone murders are TERROR by the US government,. this is the war OF terror.
There is no possible justification of indiscriminate murder. Remote killing and the inevitable civilian "collateral damage" are terror pure and simple. Even in the case of a "correct target" being murdered this way, the practice is still illegal and immoral.
blackspade
(10,056 posts)11. This has been common knowledge for years.
Move along citizen.....
DirkGently
(12,151 posts)12. Yes. We're bombing civilians, period. n/t
PowerToThePeople
(9,610 posts)14. You are either with us
xchrom
(108,903 posts)15. ...