23 replies to this topic

[OverSword]

How do my British comrades feel about this?

From the article:

An RAF base in Britain is being used by America in its controversial drone warfare campaign, it was claimed last night.
Documents seen by The Mail on Sunday reveal that the United States has established a drone ‘operations centre’ in the heart of the Lincolnshire countryside which could be used to co-ordinate attacks in the Middle East and Africa.
Last night, the revelation sparked claims of British complicity in the US Airforce (USAF) assassination programme which is being investigated by the United Nations.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290842/US-Drones-bombing-Africa-operated-RAF-bases-heart-Lincolnshire-countryside.html

Edited by OverSword, 11 March 2013 - 09:09 PM.

[Eldorado]

Go get 'em, USAF!

(lol)

[Professor Buzzkill]

Drones will be remembered in history as the most indiscriminate weapon since the landmine. The sooner we realize this the better.

[ouija ouija]

I think you'll find the REALITY is that this isn't going to happen ..... it's very definitely on 'hold'. If you read the article carefully I think you'll find it's just scaremongering regarding what may happen. The last article I read about this, some weeks ago now, showed there was so much opposition to it that in fact it's 'dead in the water'.

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Professor Buzzkill, on 11 March 2013 - 09:28 PM, said:

Drones will be remembered in history as the most indiscriminate weapon since the landmine. The sooner we realize this the better.

IMO they're going to be the "machine gun of the 21st century", think about the effect the machine gun had on warfare, it was a radical idea that forced a seachange in the way wars were fought. Drones will do exactly that.

[OverSword]

Drones, the way we are using them, in my opinion,  are a method of fighting a war with no clear goals leading to victory.

[onereaderone]

OverSword, on 11 March 2013 - 09:35 PM, said:

Drones, the way we are using them, in my opinion,  are a method of fighting a war with no clear goals leading to victory.

drones are  remote controlled air vehicals with  targetable weapons .
remote=  a few  hundred feet  away  or  half  the  planet away .

frankly speaking ,  the  greatest  danger  a  drone presents ,  is  to  the  very wealthy  ,  and heads  of  states  if  the  technology  becomes  common place .   it  is  purely offensive ,  and  has  not  deffensive applications.

defensive  weapon =  a  weapon  that  is  known  by  the  target ,WHEN  IN  LEATHAL  RANGE .

offensive weapon =  a  weapon that can be  used  with  in  lethal  range ,  and  unknown  to  its target .

assualt weapon =  a weapon suited  for  room  to  room , close  quarter combat ...  and ... the  assault on fortress or  compounds.  

a  deer  rifle  with a  3-9x 40mm scope   is  an  offensive  weapon.

a  12 gauge pump shot gun ,  w/  oo buck  shot  is  an  assault  weapon.

a  colt .45acp  is  a deffensive  weapon .


a  drone  is  clearly  a offensive weapon ,  your  first  indication  of  its  presents  is  sudden  death  of  a single  target  or distruction in  a  feild  of  effect .

the  operator  is  never  required  to  be  placed  in danger ,  so  counter measures  must  stop  the attacker with  greater  damage to the  control of the  device  than  is  needed  to  continue  the  attack ...or... fear  does  not  work .

unlike  a  atomic  bomb ,  which  is  feild of  effect  damage ,  a  drone  is  inexpensive , and CAN BE single target  specific.
it  is  the  perfect  asssination  weapon ...  
little  wonder  the  rich and powerful  want this  thing  to go away .

practicaly speaking,  drones  ; ground , air  and  stealth ...  are  nearly  a given  for  the  future .
frankly speaking ,  they  are  the military  command  and  control  head  shot ,  and  a  decentralized  command  and control system  will  be  the  only  answer  when  the drone  is fully  understood  and  used  for  best effect .

it  is the  answer  to  presidents  and  kings ...  and  when  fully  understood  , puts  a very  high  price  on  getting  wealth  and  powerful  at  any  cost .
the  reply  to  fraud  can  now  be  a drone  strike

[The New Richard Nixon]

First ive heard of it, Don't think its true though

[and then]

OverSword, on 11 March 2013 - 09:35 PM, said:

Drones, the way we are using them, in my opinion,  are a method of fighting a war with no clear goals leading to victory.

They seem to be used to assassinate leaders who otherwise would be untouchable without a much greater use of more indiscriminate force.  It would require special ops teams and aircraft to find, fix and kill these people.  Losses of troops would occur.  I think of drones as they are  being used in Afghanistan as perfectly sane and rational in the context of trying to bleed these murderers into submission.
ETA:  I'm not sure why a control center in the UK is necessary?

Edited by and then, 11 March 2013 - 10:37 PM.

[ouija ouija]

and then, on 11 March 2013 - 10:36 PM, said:

ETA:  I'm not sure why a control center in the UK is necessary?

Complicity. They want to share the stink of 'bad guy' ....... someone to share the blame; someone to make them look less bad.

[Tiggs]

and then, on 11 March 2013 - 10:36 PM, said:

ETA:  I'm not sure why a control center in the UK is necessary?

Operating range for the controllers, at a guess.

Edited by Tiggs, 11 March 2013 - 11:03 PM.

[ouija ouija]

Anyhow ........ wasn't there some mention of US drones being used against US citizens? Maybe that's why they want a base over here

[Hilander]

I think its a bad idea using a drone in circumstances other than war.

[DarkHunter]

Hilander, on 12 March 2013 - 12:46 AM, said:

I think its a bad idea using a drone in circumstances other than war.

I think it really depends on what type of drone is being used and what it is being used for.  If it is a surveillance drone, I can see where those can be used in circumstances other then war and be beneficial, like hostage situations, trying to find escaped convicts, and other similar situation.  Even drones made for combat could arguably be used beneficially to an extent.  The drones that are armed with missiles and bombs can only really be used in war, but other combat drones could potentially be used.  It wouldn't be exceedingly difficult to attach a high power rifle to a quad rotor and use it in a hostage situation by providing an accurate shot from unexpected angles, but that is only a theoretical application where a theoretical combat drone could be used to a situation other then war.

Drones are really a multipurpose tool with many practical applications in all areas of life.

[ExpandMyMind]

Drones have feelings too.