Can drones make mistakes
by digby
Here's a good question for you:
If Our Drones Are So Accurate, Why Do Their Missiles Keep Hitting Children?
Now, one might glibly respond, as former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs did, that they should have had more responsible parents, but I doubt there are very many people who think that makes much sense.
But setting aside the ethical bankruptcy of certain people for the moment, what to make of the claim that drones are exceptionally good weapons because of their accuracy in light of the fact that civilians are commonly being killed? I have to say that I think this might be the thing that causes the most problem for the US in the long run. If people believe they are as accurate as advertised and they are killing civilians, including at least 178 children, then the only thing that the people on the other end of the bombings (and their friends and relatives) can conclude is that we are targeting these civilians and children. You can't have it both ways.
On the other hand, I'm given to understand that the government believes they are on the verge of killing all the Al Qaeda terrorists once and for all so it's nothing to worry our pretty little heads about.
There is still danger and there is still much to do. Al Qaeda’s core has been degraded, leaving al Qaeda more decentralized, and most terrorist activity now conducted by local franchises…
So, therefore, in places like Yemen, and in partnership with that government, we are taking the fight directly to [Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula], and continually disrupting its plans to conduct terrorist attacks against U.S. and Yemeni interests.
We have made clear that we are not at war with an idea, a religion, or a tactic. We are at war with an organized, armed group — a group determined to kill innocent civilians...
Al Qaeda’s radical and absurd goals have included global domination through a violent Islamic caliphate, terrorizing the United States and other western nations from retreating from the world stage, and the destruction of Israel. There is no compromise or political bargain that can be struck with those who pursue such aims.
In the current conflict with al Qaeda, I can offer no prediction about when this conflict will end.
I'm going to guess that some people out there figure we'd better make sure we get every last four year old because they're going to grow up someday. Oh right, we've already heard from one.
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