Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Drone Warfare: 21st Century War Issues

It's been exactly one year since my last post and I figured it was about time that I got around to publishing another one. So sorry for the hiatus (I know I said that last time, I promise I'll try to write on a more consistent basis.)

Lately I have been drawn to these comments and debates over the use of drones in our continuing war on terrorism. It seems that every EMO progressive has had it up to their fedora with President Obama and his administrations ability to publish secret documents outlining the use of drones against Americans who have left their country and joined a crazy militant religious group. Lets just say that these progressives that are upset with the President for using these tactics are currently going about their gripes in the wrong way, this is an issue that could leave these voters home in 2014 because like 2010 "Hope and Change" didn't come fast enough. (Even though the banks totally fucked our economy in 2008, the President alone was supposed to fix all of that overnight.)

The issue I have with these people, is that they don't understand modern warfare. Would I love to see drones stop killing innocent civilians and children? Sure! But its not realistic that this is going to end anytime soon or ever! This is a type of warfare that can be done 6,000 miles away and does not need 150,000 troops on the ground to complete its goals, it saves soldiers lives and that is a positive talking point to keep the program up and running. Honestly who isn't a fan of keeping soldiers home?!

People are also acting like it is such a huge deal that we are using drones in up to 6 countries to kill people and all but one (Afghanistan) is where the "war" really is at. Ten years ago in March, Republicans and Democrats gave then President Bush a blank check with war powers and the patriot act (its only our own fault). If you actually think that ANY President would give those powers back, I have a certain bridge to nowhere in Alaska to sell you...

The real issue is that the public doesn't care about this issue or even the wars that have happened in the last decade. There is a small percentage of people in our country who actually care about these wars and they are mainly veterans, active duty folks and their family members (If they are informed, I can't vouch for all of us vets to actually know whats going on.) The media is mostly to blame on these issues because its never talked about in a broadcast, it is seen and unpopular and a topic that doesn't sell. The media feeds people bullshit about reality TV or whatever young crazy woman in Hollywood is flashing her junk while getting out of the car. It's sad there are so many issue that face us veterans after returning home that they are rarely broadcast unless it has to deal with some tragedy (IE the Iraqi War Vet in Milwaukee who shot his police officer wife).

Even then the media treats PTSD like its a crutch, when it really is a serious issue where something like 18 veterans a day commit suicide. But we as a country will never pump enough money into mental health to control this issue and make our veterans feel normal once again. This becomes an issue with veterans employment, especially since most enlisted jobs after 4 years do not give one enough skills to find a decent paying job after their 4 year service.

I have tied this issue in for one specific reason, that maybe Drone warfare can help cut down on the PTSD cases this country faces, it keeps boots off of the ground (At least in the massive numbers, like we saw in the surge or Iraq and Afghanistan). I'll admit that there are serious issue involved with using the drone program but until Congress takes those powers back and also takes on the military industrial complex, nothing is ever going to change. Money talks, the more drones that are made the more the U.S. has the ability to use them.

To the progressives who are worried about the U.S. using them on our own soil, I'd say be more worried about your big city police departments getting their hands on them first. The police always want what the military uses, and soon we will start having debates about using drones to stop drug crime in our inner cities...Mark my words on it! (That's a debate for another time though.)

Drones are here to stay, they have been with us since the beginning of the war on terrorism. They will continue to shape the debate of the war on terror and voices on both sides of this issue maybe heard but to the military families and soldiers out there they will be happy that flying robots can take the place of 150,000 troops and maybe make the deployments a little more bearable.

This is a debate that will continue with the downturn of the Afghanistan War, those drones will be used elsewhere and I honestly don't see the Obama Administration stopping the overall war on terror, it will continue and may end up being more efficient than any right wing chicken hawk could have imagined. Overall this blog is just food for thought...

Cheers!