The Drone Debate

BECAUSE......WAR makes our government relevant. JMO

Science Chic wrote: Has anyone wondered why we don't just carpet bomb the hell out of Afghanistan or Iraq (with a nuke or dozen even), but instead send in tens of thousands of ground troops to be killed, tons of equipment that gets destroyed, costs more to build, and results in a slower resolution that drags our economy down?

I have an answer, but I'd like to wait and hear your thoughts first...

Iraq is moot.
Even is we were at war (declared) with Afghanistan we would not be destroying the entire physical and social structure of a country. The last time we used that level of force was to convince the Japanese that if they did not surrender, the costs to Japan would be horrific. As it would have been for the US, which Japan was unaware. Japan had a strong powerful central government that could see they were not going to be successful in their war efforts. They chose to save their country. Afghanistan has no such control.
One other point Japan as a country had attacked us and declared war on the US, Afghanistan has done no such thing.

Being a techie ex-warrior, there is no doubt in my mind(Combat Action Nam) that our current approach to war is much more humane than it was 30-50 years ago......young men are not stacked in body bags on the tarmack............positive for sure. We are on the correct, humane track........BUT we are also turing cops into soldiers in many ways and they are under the rule of "law" are being used to essentially terrorize the American people.......rarely does a cop or two take down a threat......they simply call swat teams and armoured cars immediately.......look at the TV routinely. Domestic drones and the rationalization (first step) by the AG for killing citizens anywhere without due process is but a step toward the fully operational police state)....... Germany circa 1935......the process is gradual but steady and politics are not really the driver.......raw power of people over others is the driver........was so under Stalin, Mao, and Hitler and hundreds of lessor thugs........the second is our safeguard. The German people never saw it coming.......will we ??

Does anyone know if Obama's drone policy could apply to American "terrorists" on American soil?

If you are going to have such a policy, it seems to me it should only apply to countries that won't cooperate in capturing and extraditing terrorists that break our laws.

It also seems odd that it's illegal for the US to kill foreign leaders, but not foreign citizens or US citizens considered to be terrorists.

Thanks to the party that initiated this thread........I must also point out that because of cultural issues in the CHP the "leader" was forced to leave recently......not fired but essentially removed........see Channel 7 follow up.........I am not paranoid.....and not stupid......and a student of history with an uncle buried in Germany (circa 1944 at the bulge).........European police states gave the human race by far the bloodiest century recorded........20th. I am hopeful it will not be repeated......BUT history has a way of creeping up on the world to revisit rather routinely.

A last note....some are ever hopeful.......this is how such memos are formulated: President desires to do something (in this case kill American Citizens without due process). He calls up AG......tells him to spin up a justification and put his name on it.........maybe put it in a memo and have it leaked to the press.........maybe not. Leaks are used routinely to project policy and avoid Congress and the people.

AG says no way.......not on the record for sure.....President says let me talk to #2 over there.......he is to be #1 in a New York minute............memo is on his desk in a few minutes. THAT is exactly how it is done.

Has anyone wondered why we don't just carpet bomb the hell out of Afghanistan or Iraq (with a nuke or dozen even), but instead send in tens of thousands of ground troops to be killed, tons of equipment that gets destroyed, costs more to build, and results in a slower resolution that drags our economy down?

the later is better for industry - which provides financial support that is used to elect the President (and Congress).

If we weren't busy building war machines - our economy would be measurably smaller. Just take one look at the front range economy!

deltamrey wrote: Thanks to the party that initiated this thread........I must also point out that because of cultural issues in the CHP the "leader" was forced to leave recently......not fired but essentially removed........see Channel 7 follow up.........I am not paranoid.....and not stupid......and a student of history with an uncle buried in Germany (circa 1944 at the bulge).........European police states gave the human race by far the bloodiest century recorded........20th. I am hopeful it will not be repeated......BUT history has a way of creeping up on the world to revisit rather routinely.

While I do not know the full story this ,IMO, supports your concerns. I also wonder about the guys who killed that elk. Did they think no one would notice or did they think that since they were the law, they were above the law.


http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013 ... pound-man/


"Two women who were shot by Los Angeles police in Torrance early Thursday during a massive manhunt for an ex-LAPD officer were delivering newspapers, sources said.
The women, shot in the 19500 block of Redbeam Avenue, were taken to area hospitals, Torrance police Lt. Devin Chase said. They were not identified. One was shot in the hand and the other in the back, according to Jesse Escochea, who captured video of the victims being treated.
It was not immediately known what newspapers the women were delivering. After the shooting, the blue pickup was riddled with bullet holes and what appeared to be newspapers lay in the street alongside."



http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/.a/6a00d8341c630a53ef017ee850259a970d-640wi

Shot up truck? Maybe the police shouldn't have hi-cap magazines either?

BB....the "Elk Hunters" definitely thought they were above the law......but really stupid.......really. In Boulder the police are watched very closely........very........obviously for good reason.