More About Drones

Drones and the Wars on “Terrorism”

by Marge Van Cleef

What are drones? They are unmanned aerial vehicles, some armed with missiles and others used for surveillance. They fly very high, silently, give no warning. In fact they are flying over our skies here in the US. They are being used in at least 6 countries, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya, Israel, and for surveillance in the US. A drone arms race is well underway with more than 40 countries developing, testing, and training for their use, including China, India, and Russia.

Drones are manufactured by big military contractors, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Textron, Boeing, Honeywell, Raytheon and others. They cost $6.5 million for Patrol Predator, used at borders in Afghanistan and Arizona, and $8 million for the Reaper, which carries 14 missiles.

Both the CIA and FBI are the agencies given the responsibility of overseeing the drone program. They are being tested and flown from many bases, including Creech AFB, in Nevada, and Hancock Airfield in New York State, and other US bases and airfields. The military see drones as “cheaper and cleaner” war making -- out of sight and out of mind. No pilot or crew is at risk of being killed or captured if the drone crashes or is shot down.

In Pakistan at least 2292 people since 2004 have been killed with 32% or more being civilian deaths. This is not counting the deaths in other countries from drone attacks. The lack of recourse for the families of innocent civilians killed by drone strikes demonstrates the impunity with which the US uses this technology. They have become weapons of choice, and as Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said, “The only game in town.”

Philadelphia drone protestors at a monthly Death Walk