Drone On?

Let's look at the Latest War Machine mankind has hatched out of its Sci Fi imagination aided by technological advancements: Drones. Those Unmanned Flying Thingy's that the USA has been using to bomb enemies, spy on enemies, and reportedly accidentally kill innocent civilians of the Drone-Prone Places Of War. Why not address this issue? It's Sunday and I want to ensure that you will have an amateur armchair opinion on War to Make Your Day as spiritual and peaceful as possible.

Before I go into my banter, it would be helpful, despite whatever knowledge you think you may already have about the use and history of The Drones, to read an excellent article with specifics I don't need to repeat to write my post. So, if you're up for it, Check This Out.

Now that we're all educated about the odd looking crafts, it's time to consider the future of Drone use in the USA for non-military spying and law enforcement. It's bad enough that Google Map can zoom into your backyard whenever anyone wants to find you BBQ'ing that sweet rabbit that was once your child's BFF, or when you feel like running nude around the pool in an illusion of privacy, but now the fear looms into the American psyche that Blade Runner isn't that far from our reality.

Celebrities/public figures have the Paparazzi chasing them 24/7 with long-lens cameras (just ask William and Kate). Soon, all of us may feel extremely special knowing that the "plane" we see overhead could very well be taking our picture because, well, why not? Big Brother has arrived – a few years late, but gaining strength each day a new technical device is refined and tested on an unaware General Public. Soon all of us will have our "15 Minutes of Fame" without knowing it (unless, of course, one is seen burying a body in the garden).

But back on the International Front with Pakistan at the center of the discussion right now, the Invasive Stench of Drone use elucidates what a country feels like under such deep scrutiny and privacy invasion. America is pissing-off Pakistan with the Drone issue, and are still resentful of our Private-Swoop-In-And-Kill of Osama Bin Laden without telling them. One thing is true: Pakistani's aren't walking around ignorant of their loss of privacy and sense of whatever security they may have left in their tormented country. They are aware. Too aware of the Flying Ghost Crafts. And I don't disagree with them in an overall sense.

Imagine if another country began sending Drones over U.S. air space, dropping bombs on neighbourhoods where suspected Terrorists might be? We would be livid and more insane than we already are. Regardless of the Smoke and Mirrors of the Pakistani government in relation to America, I'm with them when it involves invading their air space unless we have a united, official Green Light from our allies. We sorta do and we kinda don't.

It's a true conundrum. Drones can crash and burn and because they are unmanned, no one dies. Should an enemy aircraft fly by and shoot a few thousand rounds of explosives at them, there will be no human casualties with that scenario either…unless, of course, the Drone falls on a house or playground or something. However, a debate is growing over the use of Drones, as you read in the article, and the stepped-up use of Drones all over the Middle East is making America look like a Bully again.

A Less Bloody War is certainly an efficient goal. Crazed fanatics want to kill us and do so almost every day by purpose or accident. What's the best military choice? Sending more stressed-out, weary soldiers to march on the ground, shooting enemies and constantly dodging hidden IUD's? How many civilians die from On The Ground fighting in comparison to misplaced Drone strikes which kill innocent people caught in the wrong place at the wrong time? Thus far we don't know. The point is: war is war and there will always be collateral damage whether from the air or from the ground.

Bush/Rumsfeld/Cheney sent soldiers into war without proper equipment and without the official approval of Congress. In Iraq all countries involved in Fighting The Supposed 'Good Fight' lost a tremendous amount of Troops. It continues to this day in Afghanistan. Drones were used a little bit during the beginning of those wars, but Obama has decided that less deaths of soldiers through the use of Drones is better than direct combat. It makes sense; however, it's opening a door I doubt will ever be shut and will simply grow in time…once again bringing the point back to the use of airborne surveillance in The States.

It's coming, my friends. It may already be here in a subtle way. What, if anything, will we do about it? Lay back and enjoy the hidden attention? Or make our government Tell Us What Is Going On before we have a serious Revolution NOT ignited by a group of Cray-Cray's with tea on their brains.

I have no answers, of course. I believe it's always difficult for presidents and most level-headed Military Leaders to know how to best conduct wars when it's obvious the body count will be atrocious and will also bleed our country dry of surplus funds we need to keep our country strong and stable. Drones appear to be The Answer at the moment. Let's try to keep our ears and eyes open to the future on this issue when War is not involved.

If this post made one bit of sense to you, then I've done my bit for the day. If not, you can laugh at my perspective and zig-zaggity assessments. But before you laugh too hard, look up in the sky and tell me how you feel if you see a strange-looking Non-UFO Air Vehicle overhead barely making a sound. I'm not paranoid about all of this at the moment because the air space above Los Angeles is already filled with every kind of aircraft you can imagine. We're almost used to it by now. After all, it was only a bit over a week ago when the 747 carrying the Endeavor flew over my home, rattling every window in the house. Just as the constant whirling loud helicopters do. And when one lives in a partially Glass House, you become used to rattling's and stray debris shaking the glass. Especially when you live in Charlie Sheen's air space when his cars fall down hills, and children of celebs die unexpectedly in their homes.

That's why and how no one in this town will have a clue what's happening when the inevitable future Blockbuster,"Game of Drones" debuts. (Hint: You heard/read that here first.)

Until next time... Have a fabulous (fill-in-the-blank).