'I Count the Bodies & Watch the Funerals-It's not just like PlayStation': Inside the mind of Dron

As controversy rages around the U.S. military's use of drone strikes to assassinate terror suspects, one author has given an unprecedented look at the mindset of a drone pilot. One of the criticisms frequently aired by opponents of drones is that their pilots might become more trigger-happy and even bloodthirsty when they are able to drop bombs from the comfort of an American base.

But an experienced pilot angrily denied that accusation in a conversation with a government lawyer, and claimed that he was keen to avoid civilian casualties. When faced with the suggestion that he had 'a PlayStation mentality', the pilot described his anguish at watching the relatives of strike victims 'weeping and in positions of mourning'.

'I hear you guys have a PlayStation mentality.' But the chief operator rejected that charge, and claimed that piloting unmanned drones was an even more emotive experience than dropping bombs from conventional planes. 'I used to fly my own air missions,' he said. 'I dropped bombs, hit my target load, but had no idea who I hit. 'Here I can look at their faces. I watch them for hours, see these guys playing with their kids and wives.'

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk...

Well, an interesting perspective... I don't know though. It would seem plausible that someone almost half-way around the world in a safe location/base conducting military strikes ... seems a little one sided. But, considering they are the ones who started it.... The Gloves come off-I guess.

I would agree 100% except that there have been far too many civilians take out as collateral damage victims. Like "Opps, Sorry, In the name of justice...Our justice'

What are you gonna do about it.... Well, my biggest fear is when the drones begin in the USA against its citizens.

"What are you gonna do now?"

Anyone know a Drone Pilot or has been one? Please share..

One think for sure though, they appear to be effective.

from what i understand a drone pilot doesn't pick the targets and does not give the order to fire.

but he has to live with the consequences of killing another human being.

in the end he is responsible, because "he told me to do it" doesn't work in kindergarten and is not going to work now.

The point is, regardless of there "feelings", if they are ORDERED to strike they will. It doesnt really matter. Why is this relevant??

reply to post by hoochymama


I believe they would fall under the same rule of the Military Code of Justice for any actions they take-WHICH was deemed illegal.

They would also have the "right" to disobey an order they believe was in violation of any laws.

That being said, the court has not heard any case so... the current "law" stands.

Fire Away.

They have a right to dis-obey any unlawful order.

Lots of time though- in the military- if you say no- they still make you do it- but noted that you disagreed.

Then you see your C.O.

Then you forget what happened.

reply to post by Common Good


Well, I have to say you are most likely 100% spot on.

But.. just maybe... someone-if things are being done illegally etc-will step up and say?

We are human.. which can go both ways- No?

reply to post by anon72


Yes.

I was one of those people. I disobeyed orders and policy, and got the reprecussions of it.

In the military, you either go along-or you dont. I was the latter.
Although, I still did believe in everything they were trying to accomplish at the time.
I just made my own choices and that was that.

Military men and women arent the drones people make them out to be.

Im a living example of that.

reply to post by anon72


I would imagine what they feel is not much different than what any combat vet feels with one exception; the same justification for killing might not be there because a drone pilot isn’t receiving direct fire from the enemy. The fact that your life was in danger is a great coping mechanism for dealing with the taking of a human life (it was me or him).

I’m curious the level of suicides or PTSD among drone pilots...that would tell the real story.

Good find, anon!

reply to post by anon72

I believe they would fall under the same rule of the Military Code of Justice for any actions they take-WHICH was deemed illegal.

They would also have the "right" to disobey an order they believe was in violation of any laws.

That being said, the court has not heard any case so... the current "law" stands.

Fire Away.

They would absolutely be held accountable to the same rules of conduct all military personal adhere to – the UCMJ. As far as their rules of engagement, I have no idea what they’re told. Drone use wasn’t prevalent when I served.

Disobeying lawful orders is a punishable offense and you’d be hard pressed to prove you were given an unlawful order. I've never received an "unlawful" order.

I’ll say this…war is a lot like Vegas; MANY things that happen on the battlefield stay on the battlefield and go completely unreported, even by the people who took place in OR ordered the action. That’s a fact…

Originally posted by anon72But, considering they are the ones who started it.... The Gloves come off-I guess.

it is so easy to justify irrational and illegal acts of violence against others.
They started what?.
How would you feel knowing they didn't start anything, and, Israel pulled a false flag on the US to garner US popular support against their enemies in the middle east.

It is not black and white.
Drone killings are extra judicial murders, juxtaposed against an illegal war that was started by an illegal act against the american people, by, Genocidal maniacs in need of a soul transfusion, and it came from within the american government and it's ally nations.

If this is the truth, i believe it is, with no doubts whatsoever, what does that make america and the drone attacks?.

It makes the pilots cold blooded murderers with blood on their hands.

Originally posted by anon72

When faced with the suggestion that he had 'a PlayStation mentality', the pilot described his anguish at watching the relatives of strike victims 'weeping and in positions of mourning'.

That would have been about 30 seconds before he murdered the mourners at the funeral.

The main thing to keep in mind here, brought up by another poster, is that these are suspected terrorists. These brave drone pilots are acting as judge, jury and executioner. Nothing on this earth could be more illegal. Or more wrong.

reply to post by jcarpenter


more illegal than packign a van with explosives and parking it next to a busy market?

Because thats who we are fighting, Let those religious idiots have the death and destruction theyve always wanted... although i dont think they realized it would be them afraid.

reply to post by jcarpenter


Drone pilots don't just go around picking out targets and deciding who is a terrorist and who isn't. There is a White House committee that looks at intel about suspected terrorists, and decides who and when to strike. They confer with the State Department, and other agencies before the decision is made by the head of the committee. The drone pilot gets the order to strike a target based on the intel that the committee has that says when and where to strike. They are not "judge, jury, and executioner" by any sense.

Under the new plan, Brennan's staff compiles the potential target list and runs the names past agencies such as the State Department at a weekly White House meeting, the officials said.

Previously, targets were first discussed in meetings run by the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen at the time, with Brennan being just one of the voices in the debate. Brennan ultimately would make the case to the president, but a larger number of officials would end up drawn into the discussion.

www.ctv.ca...

Originally posted by seabag
reply to post by anon72

 

I would imagine what they feel is not much different than what any combat vet feels with one exception; the same justification for killing might not be there because a drone pilot isn’t receiving direct fire from the enemy. The fact that your life was in danger is a great coping mechanism for dealing with the taking of a human life (it was me or him).

I’m curious the level of suicides or PTSD among drone pilots...that would tell the real story.

Good find, anon!

You actually touched on something which I think might make them LESS trigger happy. You're in a live fire situation, adrenaline pumping, you could be shot at any moment, who wouldn't want to pull the trigger in that environment? Safely away and thinking rationally (with still adrenaline I imagine) would make you clearer and less likely to make a bad call.

Originally posted by Wertdagf
reply to post by jcarpenter

 

more illegal than packign a van with explosives and parking it next to a busy market?

Because thats who we are fighting, Let those religious idiots have the death and destruction theyve always wanted... although i dont think they realized it would be them afraid.

Where does all the Muslim hysteria come from? Just a reminder and a warning:
IRAN SANCTIONS ACT of 1996 Sponsor: Ileana Ross-Lehtinen (Jew) H.R. 2194: Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 Sponsor: Howard Berman (Jew) H.RES.568 preventing the Government of Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapons capability.Sponsor: Ileana Ross-Lehtinen (Jew) H.R. 4133: United States-Israel Enhanced Security Cooperation Act of 2012 Sponsor: Eric Cantor (Jew) H. Res. 268, Sponsor: House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Jew) The resolution called upon the administration to announce that it would “veto any resolution on Palestinian statehood that comes before the United Nations Security Council S. Res. 185 Sponsor: Sen. Ben Cardin (Jew) states that if the Palestinian Authority goes ahead with its plan to seek unilateral recognition as a state, the US would suspend its financial aid.
David Axelrod (Jew) running Obama re-election campaign
Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Jew) Democratic National Committee Chairman
Rahm Emanuel (Jew) former Obama chief of staff and former Israeli Defense Force soldier
Ronald Klain (Jew) Former Biden Chief of Staff
Daniel Benjamin (Jew) head of the State Department’s Bureau of Counter-Terrorism
Michael Chertoff (Jew) former Homeland Security chief, .
Daniel Rubinstein (Jew), Consul General and Chief of Mission, Jerusalem
Victoria Nuland (Jew) (career Foreign Service officer) and spokesperson for the United States Department of State. (and married to Jewish neocon Robert Kagan co-founder of PNAC the ideological manifesto for the Iraq war)
Wendy Sherman (Jew) Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs
David Cohen (Jew) Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence
Stuart Levey (Jew) Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence
James B. Steinberg (Jew) Former Deputy Secretary of State
William Burns (Jew) Current Deputy Secretary of State
Eric Lynn (Jew): Middle East Policy Advisor
Mara Rudman (Jew): Foreign Policy Advisor
Lee Feinstein (Jew): Foreign Policy Advisor
Dennis Ross (Jew): Special Advisor for the Gulf (Iran) and Southwest Asia to the Secretary of State
Dan Shapiro (Jew): former Head of Middle East Desk at the National Security Council now ambassador to Israel
Steve Simon (Jew) National Security Council Middle East Desk
The Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs headed by Assistant Secretary Jeffrey Feltman (Jew),
deals with U.S. foreign policy and U.S. diplomatic relations with Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt,
Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian Territories, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. Regional policy issues that NEA handles include Iraq, Middle East peace, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, and political and economic reform.
Two major sanctions bills targeting Iran for greater economic and diplomatic pressure against Iran…Both bills, sponsored by House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Jew), included major provisions authored by Brad Sherman (Jew) (D-CA), the Ranking Member of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade. Last Spring, Congressman Sherman joined with Chairman Ros-Lehtinen and others in introducing both bills.
The most prominent war mongering neocons and the founders of The Project for a New American Century were Jews: Paul Wolfowitz.. Richard Perle.. Elliot Abrams.. Bill Kristol.. Robert Kagan.. David Wurmser.. Scooter Libby.. Norman Podhoretz.. John Podhoretz.. James Schlesinger.. Dov Zakheim.. Douglas Feith.. Marc Grossman.. Michael Ledeen.. Charles Krauthammer.. Stephen Bryen.. David Frum…The Iraq war planners and the “bomb the Mid East into democracy” advocates.
In October 2007, Debra Cagan (Jew), a senior Pentagon official, shocked a group of British MPs by saying “I hate all Iranians”

Upon the back of this overt racism in the middle east, these drone attacks are taking place today.

To put things in perspective......
Just 70 years ago if there was good intel on a target they would have sent a wave of bombers killing dozens, if not hundreds just to kill one person or building. We just don't have the stomach for it any more. Either that or we expect to much and think, somehow, that war should be sterile.