Via Army Times:
The number of UAV attacks in Afghanistan has increased every year under the Obama administration, according to data released by the Air Force on Nov. 7.
Points:
- “Since the start of 2009, there have been 1,160 strikes in Afghanistan. There were 255 strikes in 2009, 278 in 2010, 294 in 2011 and 333 through Oct. 31.”
- “As UAV use has increased, the average number of manned flights in which weapons were used has dropped, from 165 a month in 2011 to 139 a month this year.”
Ponder:
- Will increasing UAV use lead national leaders to think of war as a video game?
- Will reliance on UAVs to minimize US casualties lead to more asymmetric warfare, e.g., terror strikes in the US?
- Will the use of UAVs alienate and radicalize the very people we’re trying to help?
