UK uses drones, mulls police states

In the military point of view, the use of drones cancels out the risk of losing aircrew. Moreover, the use of advanced composites/carbon fibers allows the drone to remain airborne for very long time, an essential ingredient when spying or being used as an airborne observation platform.

One could challenge the legality and use of drones especially when used to penetrate sovereign airspace almost totally undetected to carry out behind-the-lines spying. With the more conventional drones, this also extends into carrying out airstrikes with such lightweight missiles as the “Hellfire” which in itself is in clear violation of the Geneva Convention.

As it stands at the moment, one could say with a certain amount of certainty that these drones at times can be extremely inaccurate, especially when it comes to hitting the correct target. On average, it appears that taking out one so called terrorist could cost the lives of around 140 innocent civilians as they do not have the ability, when controlled from many miles away, to identify the good guys from the bad ones.

In Israel, they are used almost continuously for airborne observations and attacking Palestinians and therefore are responsible for the death of many innocents in Gaza...... When one considers that these drones are linked to overhead military satellites and an automated gun post that sits on the border with Gaza, it becomes a sort of computer war game.......... The drone picks out a target and can either fire a missile itself or via the satellite send data by the operator (normally female soldiers) who then with her joystick can operate the automated gun on the border to take out anyone who enters the buffer zone near the Gaza fence line.

It is clear that the use of the latest US Top Secret “Stealth Drone,” which was brought down within the sovereign territory of Iran, was in clear violation of international law, which clearly states that no military aircraft can enter another sovereign state without prior permission and in doing so is considered as an intruder and a security risk to the country. In such circumstances any action can be taken to bring down the offending aircraft.

The US has some of the strictest laws when it comes to their own airspace and believe me if one should ever challenge their capability and penetrate their sovereign state the results would be fatal.

One should point out at this stage that the control of such drones lies with the US Defense Department from the country's West Coast. The operators are professional pilots and fly the drones just like a computer game.

Some Afghanistan statistics have shed light on the current use of drones in Northern Pakistan, which similarly breach Pakistan sovereignty:

In 2009 - Of the 44 Predator strikes carried out by the American drones in the tribal areas of Pakistan, only five were able to hit their actual targets, killing five key Al Qaeda and Taliban leaders, but at the cost of killing around 700 innocent civilians. The article clearly stated that 140 innocent civilians were killed for every single terrorist taken out.

In 2010 - According to Pakistan Interior Minister Rehman Malik, the US drone strikes killed more than 900 people in Pakistan last year, the vast majority of whom were civilians, often women and children.

In 2011 - Defense Department officials said that a Hellfire missile killed a Marine and a Navy seaman in Afghanistan. The two US troops were supposedly mistaken for "militants."

The statistics are alarming and in this context Obama (the Commander in Chief) is simply adding to the civilian death toll, making him guilty of war crimes.

The drones “Hellfire Missiles” are themselves horrendous to say the least and are described as follows:

The missile creates a pressure wave which sucks the air out of victims, shreds their internal organs and crushes their bodies. The explosion is described as “Thermobaric” and is known to contain depleted uranium.

The British drones have been used by the military for years but there have been some serious concerns, “The Terminators: drone strikes prompt MoD to ponder ethics of killer robots.” British pilots in Afghanistan have complained about their inaccuracy and the innocent civilians that have died as a result of their mistakes.

The analysis of the unmanned aircraft in combat urges Britain to establish policy on “acceptable machine behavior” but one could challenge the sincerity behind such concerns!!

The growing use of unmanned aircraft in combat situations raises huge moral and legal issues, and threatens to make war more likely as armed robots take over from human beings, according to an internal study by the Ministry of Defence.

The report warns about the dangers of an "incremental and involuntary journey towards a Terminator-like reality."

In an article titled The UK Approach to Unmanned Aircraft Systems, published in The Guardian (17/4/2011), the writers warned that "It is essential that before unmanned systems become ubiquitous (if it is not already too late)… We ensure that, by removing some of the horror, or at least keeping it at a distance, we do not risk losing our controlling humanity and make war more likely."

The report was ordered by Britain's defense chiefs, and coincides with continuing controversy about drones' use in Afghanistan, and growing Pakistani anger at CIA drone attacks against suspected insurgents on the Afghan borders. MoD officials have never before grappled so frankly with the ethics of using the drones.

It states that "the recent extensive use of unmanned aircraft over Pakistan and Yemen may already herald a new era". Referring to descriptions of "killer drones" in Afghanistan, it says that "feelings are likely to run high as armed systems acquire more autonomy."

Many countries have their own programs in the development of such drones and, believe it or not, it is common for western countries such as the US, the UK and France to share satellite and drone data with each other....... It is also broadly known that these same countries provide secret data to other members of NATO such as the activity of the Kurdistan PKK with Turkey etc.

As we are all aware of Pakistan has recently demanded that the US stop drone strikes and in response, the CIA drastically cut its officers there. David Cameron said in December that British drones have killed 124 insurgents in Afghanistan since June 2008, hailing them as a "classic example of a modern weapon which is necessary for today's war." The drones, known as Reapers, have to date fired 167 missiles and bombs in Afghanistan. I would add to this the statement that David Cameron did not say anything about, the British pilot's criticism or the extensive deaths of innocent civilians!!

Although the British military does have its own smaller drones, we do cooperate with the US and purchase the US-manufactured General Atomics Reaper for the RAF. This drone can carry four Hellfire missiles, two 230kg (500lb) bombs, and 12 Paveway II guided bombs. It can fly for more than 18 hours, has a range of 3,600 miles, and can operate at up to 15,000 meters (50,000ft). I would again stress that many such weapons contain Depleted Uranium and are thus classified as Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) and are in violation of the Geneva Convention by being indiscriminate killers. This year alone David Cameron increased the number of the Reaper from four to nine at a cost of around £135m.

The MoD is also funding the development of the BAE Systems of long-range unmanned aircrafts, called Taranis, designed to fly at "jet speeds" between the continents while controlled from anywhere in the world using satellite communications.

On the topic of BAE Systems' role, I would also point out that the BAE provides parts for drones to Israel, which were used against the people of Gaza during the 2008-2009 Operation Cast Lead and continue to do so up to the current time.

Britain has spent considerable amounts of tax payers' money in the development and purchase of drone aircrafts. It has also entered into an agreement with France to jointly produce a drone in order to cut the costs. It is common knowledge that there is also a very high fail rate in drone accidents and despite the enormous costs involved they will remain in the forefront of military aircraft.......the British Government is now seriously considering the use of drones in the sky over the United Kingdom.......a clear indication of future police states.