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U.S. Opened Pandora's Box With Drones

http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/article/20120101/OPINION02/201010305/U-S-
opened-Pandora-s-box-drones

Zanesville Times Recorder
January 1, 2012

U.S. opened Pandora's box with drones
Darrell L. Shahan

By being the first to use drones, we have unleashed a Pandora's box upon the world. 
Imagine a world where your every move outside your home is monitored. Drone warfare 
demands that we learn to settle conflicts without war.

Modern warfare has entered a new era. Unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, can fly 
thousands of miles, conduct surveillance or target and kill individuals with precision. 
Unfortunately, this precision does not prevent collateral damage, the military term for 
unintended civilian deaths. Military experts predict this will be the pattern for future military 
conflicts.

Quite often, the drones are operated by personnel who are far removed from the conflict. 
They kill enemy combatants by day and go home at night to their families. A definite 
advantage is the fact that unmanned aircraft do not place any pilots at risk.

Now for the dark side. A disadvantage is that this type of warfare depersonalizes warfare 
and reduces it to just another video game. The warfare acquires an antiseptic quality that 
could make the decision to go to war more likely and acceptable. The popular perception is 
that, because of our advanced technology, the United States has a virtual monopoly on 
drones. According to CNN, nothing could be farther from the truth. Quoting the article, "As 
many as 50 countries are developing or purchasing these systems, including China, Russia, 
India, Pakistan, and Iran."

In Palestine, Hezbollah used a small drone for surveillance. It flew so slowly that the Israeli 
jets could not reduce their speed enough to shoot it down.

Drones are now available commercially. Farmers could use them for the purposes of 
dusting crops. This application would appear to lend itself to the distribution of biological 
weapons over a metropolitan area, by an enemy. Terrorists could conceivably buy a 
commercial version.

The Iranian capture of a U.S stealth spy drone over Iran, which was conducting surveillance 
of their nuclear program, undoubtedly will aid the drone development program of other 
countries.

There also are disturbing legal questions. Military personnel are authorized to operate 
drones during war, but it is reported that they also are operated by civilian CIA members 
under their covert programs. This dilutes responsibility and prevents scrutiny by the public.

The FAA is expected to issue rules allowing drones to be used by law enforcement in the 
U.S. The ACLU fears drones might be used indiscriminately, leading to constant monitoring 
of the public, in any outdoor location, instead of only gathering evidence in specific cases. 
The ACLU wants specific guidelines defining their use. Citizens now are under constant 
monitoring in many municipal settings. The only privacy left would be in your own home. 
Would invasion of the sanctity your home be next? Freedom usually is not lost in one fell 
swoop. It usually disappears piecemeal. When the public becomes accustomed to the 
newest incremental change, the next one is implemented.

By being the first to use drones, we have unleashed a Pandora's box upon the world. 
Imagine a world where your every move outside your home is monitored. Drone warfare 
demands that we learn to settle conflicts without war.

 ....

Shahan is a retired, politically active and concerned senior citizen.
He worked in the electrical power industry for 38 years, was an apartment owner and 
manager for 30 years and a dairy farmer for five years.

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