It is one thing to take out a high value al-Qaida operative or Taliban leader but quite another to kill innocent civilians. It seems that the payoff in collateral damage for these unfortunate deaths cannot be justified in the fight to combat extreme fanaticism and imposition of ‘Shria’ Law under the religious tenets of Islam and the autocratic rule of a charismatic Mullah or Ayatollah. It seems that these high-tech pilot less aircraft controlled by an operator thousands of miles away using a joystick and computer screen aided by GPS and other telemetry, cannot guarantee within an almost absolute certainty whether a human target soon to be annihilated in a burst of fiery destruction is friend or foe. One would think that these machines would have be more accurate and that their targeting sensors and video capabilities would be able to clearly distinguish between what is a “real” threat or just a crowd of men with guns firing wildly into the air.
The mistakes are far too high because once a decision is reached and that button is pushed to launch hellfire-missles or some other ordinance upon the unsuspecting people cannot be relived all over again, and somehow acknowledging that mistakes were made and issuing an apology with financial compensation isn't enough to assuage the pain and grief of losing a loved one due to bad judgment and the limits of the military's latest warfare toy. It is interesting that the one thing considered one of the most effective in combating the ‘insurgency’ is a major recruiting incentive and propaganda tool ensuring its continued growth and survival because the number of Afghan civilians (men, women, and children) killed by the allies [infidels or the Great Satan "America"] far outpaces all retaliatory strikes inflicted upon the Taliban or al-Qaida operatives and leadership.
Robert Randle
776 Commerce St. #B-11
Tacoma, WA 98402
March 18, 2011
robertrandle51@yahoo.com
