Predator UAV (Photo from Defense-Update)Drones vs. Terrorists -- Slate
Are terrorists regaining the advantage over our killing machines?
Here's a quick sketch of where the fight stands. In attacks that escalated from the 1970s through Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists exploited and demonstrated a huge advantage over life-valuing societies: They're willing to target our civilians and use their own civilians as suicidal mass killers. We're unwilling to reciprocate. In broader terms, they're more willing to kill and die than we are.
In the last few years, however, we've developed a countermeasure: drones. By sending mechanical proxies to do our spying and killing, we avoid risking our lives. Recently, Taliban and al-Qaida fighters in Pakistan have gone into Afghanistan and killed our troops. Instead of sending our troops into Pakistan, we've sent drones. Since August, the drones have fired at least 19 missiles at targets in Pakistan. Since the drones fly overhead and aren't human, we can send them many miles into Pakistan and get them out without fear. Unlike ground troops, they can take their time identifying targets, thereby minimizing civilian casualties. The New York Times reports, for example, that last Friday's drone strike on a religious school killed eight people, "all of them militant fighters, according to local residents."
Read more ....
My Comment: A fascinating read ....