Are US drone pilots war criminals?

[Harari Rajul]

What is the civilian to terrorist kill rate...it's horridly high...

 

[Benoni]

Not at all they are doing the world a service

 

[Epic Beard Man]

It is not a matter of statistics alone, or even of civilian casualties.

How much of a moral foothold can a soldier have when he is not using his own motivation and courage to face his enemies, but instead relies on the economic and technological superiority of his country?

Perhaps none at all.

A soldier that is not directly facing his opponents is not much of a soldier.

But air assaults is necessary and by that alone makes drone pilots valuable

 

[Yadon]

The drone program counts any 'combat aged man" as a combatant be default, armed or not.

thats any males ages 14-55. That covers A LOT of supposed combatants that were really civillians.

Of the confirmed civillians killed (women and children almost entirely) its 50% of the casualties of drones.

The program is obviously ineffective at killing it's intended targets. The US government is corrupt and filled with criminals who don't care who they kill so long as they feed their corporate interests!

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

The drone program counts any 'combat aged man" as a combatant be default, armed or not.

thats any males ages 14-55. That covers A LOT of supposed combatants that were really civillians.

Of the confirmed civillians killed (women and children almost entirely) its 50% of the casualties of drones.

The program is obviously ineffective at killing it's intended targets. The US government is corrupt and filled with criminals who don't care who they kill so long as they feed their corporate interests!

Plus, these CIA drone strikes aren't part of any war and are generally cartied out ib the territory of allies. Even when they hit their intended target, it's still the summary execution of a SUSPECTED criminal without trial.

 

[Apex]

So when is the left going to start calling for Obama to be brought up on war crimes, like they did with Bush?

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Probably about the same time the right asks for the same regarding bush. Of course that is within the US (both the left and right outside of the US is able to see both presidents in a more equitable light - though still within a colored perspective in all likelihood). Mind you - since the US would never* allow a US soldier, let alone a president to face war crimes charges (even having passed legislation allowing the invasion of a neutral country in the event that a US citizen might face charges - a disproportionate war of aggression in 'defense' against war crimes charges... irony ftw); it is a mute point.

*Actually this point is likely to begin to wind down in the next 20 years or so... it is closing on its expiration date as a policy that can be maintained in the shifting geopolitical climate.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

So when is the left going to start calling for Obama to be brought up on war crimes, like they did with Bush?

Just crimes, not war crimes (as I've said a few times now, there's no war), but I think that would be a good idea.

 

[Apex]

Just crimes, not war crimes (as I've said a few times now, there's no war), but I think that would be a good idea.

Crimes against humanity?

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Crimes against humanity?

How about plain ol' murder?

 

[Yadon]

How about plain ol' murder?

What are we to do about it?

 

[Mycroft]

Just posting this to further discussion.

Yemen says U.S. drone struck a wedding convoy, killing 14 - CNN.com

 

[InformedIgnorance]

Unnecessary, Ineffective, Inefficient and counter to the strategic interest to mitigating the likelihood of violence directed towards the US (and her citizens) by non state actors ideologically linked to the muslim (and the rest of the developing) world; and that is discounting the immorality of the act and the ease with which it reinforces the legitimization (which don't get me wrong, already exists) acts of violence directed towards non combatants... the number of recruits that result from the public perception of such an event is overwhelmingly likely to exceed the number of 'threats' that were neutralized by the strike (and in terms of sheer probability thus likely to result in an increased chance of high value recruits).