Using drones: principles, tactics and results (amended title)

[davidbfpo]

Moderator's Note

I am not convinced this discussion is on track and mass killing is far from what SWC is about. As indicated by Fuch's comment.

[davidbfpo]

Update

The consensus amongst the moderators is that the discussion is within SWC rules and the thread is now unlocked.

[slapout9]

Now that everyone has calmed down some, this just came over the news. A Massachusetts man was arrested for planning to use large scale Radio Controlled models (drones) to attack the Pentagon and possibly the Capitol.
The man was allegedly radicalized at online jihad website.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44705648...news-security/


My point was and always has been that just because we(USA,Israel,etc.) use precision targeted killing does not mean that our enemies are going to, it is likely to be just the opposite IMO.

[slapout9]

Link to article on Drone Virus.



http://technolog.msnbc.msn.com/_news...computer-virus

[Bob's World]

Now that everyone has calmed down some, this just came over the news. A Massachusetts man was arrested for planning to use large scale Radio Controlled models (drones) to attack the Pentagon and possibly the Capitol.
The man was allegedly radicalized at online jihad website.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44705648...news-security/


My point was and always has been that just because we(USA,Israel,etc.) use precision targeted killing does not mean that our enemies are going to, it is likely to be just the opposite IMO.

When a person attacks their own government, they may have been influenced by a variety of sources, but they were most likely "radicalized" by their government. Step one is admitting responsibilities for one's actions. Most addicts, and most governments, never get to step one. Far easier to rationalize such things off on others.

[slapout9]

When a person attacks their own government, they may have been influenced by a variety of sources, but they were most likely "radicalized" by their government. Step one is admitting responsibilities for one's actions. Most addicts, and most governments, never get to step one. Far easier to rationalize such things off on others.

That is deep Bob...really deep. How many people in the government could even realize that?

[davidbfpo]

Slap,

Yes Bob is on target and you asked:

How many people in the government could even realize that?

Very few I would contend, it would be a rare politician who would admit this:

..they were most likely "radicalized" by their government..

Try this September 2005 article, based on talking to John Denham, a Labour minister who resigned over the Iraq War:http://www.spectator.co.uk/essays/al...security.thtml

There are some civil servants who have advised government here, the most often cited example being the Foreign Office and Home Office advice in 2004 that foreign policy decisions could alienate young Muslims. We know that advice was rejected, yes by Tony Blair and his government.

As the "smoke" cleared from Northern Ireland more civil servants have talked, with regret, over decisions taken that were counter-productive; I am only aware of local politicians talking in the same terms, such as Geoffrey Donaldson:http://www.jeffreydonaldson.org/

[Kiwigrunt]

Not sure this is the best place for it but it does kinda fit.

Malcolm Gladwell in a 16 min TED talk on military technology and precision and the utility of it.