I found this article to be particularly disturbing.
Feds Under Pressure to Open U.S. Skies to Drones
WASHINGTON (AP) — Unmanned aircraft have proved their usefulness and reliability in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq. Now the pressure's on to allow them in the skies over the United States.
The Federal Aviation Administration has been asked to issue flying rights for a range of pilotless planes to carry out civilian and law-enforcement functions but has been hesitant to act.
How did they prove their usefulness in Afghanistan? They are useful for killing people. When the economy completely melts down within the next few years, governments will want the desirables to have access to the remaining resources and the undesirables to be shot down with drones.
Don't assume that you will be one of the desirables.
Remember last fall at the G-20 summit, when for the first time law enforcement used the sonic cannon on American citizens? The media called them "anarchists." So I guess it's all good.
Dear Lord. Why are we so excited to trip headlong into a disaster of our own making?
ReplyDeleteScary little suckers, ain't they? Even the ones without bombs are a danger to air traffic. The FAA is hesitating because the things are stealthy and can't be seen on radar. Having one be sucked into a jet engine could ruin your whole day.
ReplyDeleteSo does the Pentagon or the border patrol tell the FAA when and where they are going to fly the things? Not likely. But of course the FAA and the public will complain so the FAA will be told where and when not to fly jets and airplanes which will be just as effective as being told where they are but it won't be giving secrets away.
And just imagine if they use the ones with bombs. It could put a whole new picture on the Mexican border. Don't arrest illegal aliens, blow them up?
Ah but then who will harvest the strawberries? But to be elected to Congress you can't ask that question. REAL men lock people up and kill them or drive them back over the border. We can't have pansy congress members suggesting that we actually need unskilled immigrants because there aren't any Americans left who can or will do the job of stoop labor.
But see, that's just the problem, Bob- people will assume these will be used on "others", as John said.
ReplyDeleteBut what about the people protesting the World Bank meetings? Or the UN? Or the dozen or so people standing weekly on a corner in Johnson City, Tennessee protesting troop buildups? or the Pride Parade in Albuquerque? Or the drinking teens at a quarry in Rock Island, Illinois whose behavior looks very much like that of a terrorist training camp to a drone?
This, like Hitler's Final Solution, the Gaza Blockade, and the Patriot Act, will be assumed to deal only with "others". We need to stop assuming there are "others", since there's really only ever "us".
What, protesting a war? How dare they? Oops. I just became part of the them.
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