It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane…

Duru_21.1BY NAOMI DURU

Drones are often portrayed as the next best technology to be used in warfare, but while everyone is busy buzzing about the benefits, not enough people take the time to look at the consequences behind their usage.

The first reported drone strike against militants happened in 2002 in Yemen under the Bush administration in an operation targeted at Osama Bin Laden. Under President Barack Obama, the number of drones used in warfare has escalated dramatically, with the president responsible for 310 out of the 362 total drone strikes undertaken by the US government. Drones are being used in counterterrorism efforts, and Foreign Affairs’ August 2013 article on why drones fail articulates the goals of drone usage to be threefold: the strategic defeat of al Qaeda and its affiliates, the containment of local conflicts so as not to breed new enemies, and the preservation of American security. Despite the fanfare, drones are not accomplishing all of these goals.

Firstly, drones do not contain conflicts in the long-term—they breed new enemies because of civilian casualties. Civilian casualties inevitably affect how the United States is seen on the global stage. Because drones are targeted at “militants,” the definition of this term is crucial. President Obama has classified anyone military-aged in a warzone as a militant, which makes the exact number of civilian deaths difficult to quantify. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates between 416 and 951 civilians, including 168 to 200 children, have been killed in Pakistan alone. Casualties like this decrease the United States’ soft power, the ability to influence without force, in the area. With the increasing use of drones, our soft power is rapidly declining. In Pakistan, an overwhelming 74 percent of the population sees America as an enemy. Soft power and American popularity is crucial in the Middle East, because the non-radicals who support our efforts work as a counterweight to terrorism in the area. When they are against us, fighting terrorism becomes even more difficult.

This trend leads to an increased number of potential terrorist threats which is counterproductive to the defeat of Al Qaeda. With the increased use of drone strikes, there has been increased mayhem in the areas in which they take place because of displacement and civilian deaths. This distaste with American strikes unites civilians and terrorist organizations. Accordingly, instead of eradicating enemies, strikes create a breeding ground for hostility. This atmosphere is created through the fear that a strike could take place at any time, which perpetuates negative views of the United States. Hence, the opportunity arises for terrorist groups like Al Qaeda to recruit fighters who have experienced tragedies and turn them against the United States.

Lastly, drones aren’t as hassle-free for our fellow Americans as they have been presented. It is important to acknowledge that the number of American casualties does decrease with the use of drones, since there are fewer boots on the ground. However, most drones still require pilots that control them from American soil and the horrors these drone operators witness is similar to what they encounter on the ground. While they are operating from an office instead of on foot, the long term effects of witnessing war are comparable. A former drone operator gave NPR an interview where he described his first shot: a man whose leg he blew off and killed instantly. Worse, he recounts firing on three men when a small person ran out whom he was instructed to shoot. When he asked if it was a child, the operator was told it was a dog, and to continue. The things drone pilots have to tell themselves to justify shots, such as that a human was a dog, dehumanizes their targets and emotionally manipulates the pilots. The distance that is created between the pilots operating from home and the civilians thousands of miles away creates a disconnect between the two spheres that makes it much easier for dehumanization to take place. That same operator is now couch surfing from house to house with no permanent home and PTSD so severe he probably will never recover. Horrific stories like these are a common thread among drone operators. More than half of drone operators report the same stresses and experiences. In fact, drone pilots had higher incidence rates for 12 debilitating conditions, including anxiety disorder, depressive disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.

Moving forward, there is no doubt that drones are going to be used more and more in warfare. The only thing that can be done to ensure they’re used effectively is to acknowledge their flaws and strive to improve them as time goes on, because it’s not a bird or a plane. It’s a drone, and they’re here to stay.

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