It's hard to win the hearts and minds of people when you're killing them
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It's hard to win the hearts and minds of people when you're killing them
A former Obama admninistration official gets right down to it on drone warfare overseas. It's not just that it's extralegal, unconstitutional, et cetera. It's that dropping so many weapons on the local people -- even so-called precision ones -- is dumb and counter-productive:
CHICAGO — A former top adviser to President Obama on Thursday expressed concern about “blowback” from the United States’ aggressive campaign of drone strikes, warning that the attacks could be undermining long-term efforts to battle extremism.
The former adviser, Gen. James E. Cartwright, is the latest and perhaps the most influential former member of Mr. Obama’s national security team to publicly express concerns that the costs of the strikes might be beginning to outweigh the benefits. But General Cartwright, a former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and a favored adviser during the president’s first term, also expressed skepticism about a draft administration proposal to gradually shift drone operations from the Central Intelligence Agency to the Pentagon.
Why?
General Cartwright did not quarrel with government claims that the strikes had been precise in targeting militant suspects. However, he said that mistakes, however rare, could do serious damage to America’s reputation.
“We’re seeing that blowback,” he said. “If you’re trying to kill your way to a solution, no matter how precise you are, you’re going to upset people even if they’re not targeted.” He spoke at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs.
It's been said again and again and again -- there's no logic in creating more enemies than you're killing, especially since for the most part these days we're killing lower-level operatives who couldn't find Lower Manhattan with a GPS. Or we could bury our heads in the sand and take what I'd call the Monty Python approach to drones, as depicted in the video below. Have a great weekend, and make it "a happy occasion."
I saw a story on TV that Pakistan hates the U.S. more than any other country on earth. Ironically, Obama's been blasting Pakistan with drones for 4 years.— Phillies2008WSChamps- Pakistani people didn't hate the US before 2009? — chasing history
Comment removed.- The Emperor does not make mistakes, ever!— joedog
- Gee Will, no front page article on this? Shhhhh. Nothing bad on Barry must appear on the front page.— CD75
- This is "bad", really? Back in Bush days, if you expressed the mad folly of a militaristic approach to the war on terror, you'd be called a traitor here. Change has indeed come.
- Drone music from my college daze: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pTcO4IzhuI
- Will, I'm disappointed in you. You missed the perfect Monty Python sketch for this occasion. The one where city after city gets bombed looking for Mr. Neutron. The US Air Force van is driving through the rubble with someone saying over the loudspeaker, "We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our bombing... sorry".— LouDiamondPhillipsheadScrewdriver
- To make an omelet, you have to break some eggs. But, I don't think that hitting the egg carton with a sledge hammer is the right approach. Geez! I almost agree with Will Bunch, for once!
If you search the U.S. War College archive of analytical papers, you will find that we have the best military minds in the world advising the President on military matters, and being constantly and routinely ignored.— DonQ - MSL did you somewhere get personally accused of being unpatriotic for opposing Bush because it seems like a sore point in a number of your post. I can only speak for myself but I never view people speaking their minds as unpatriotic - of course you are dead wrong but not unpatriotic LOL.
I understand your outrage over such statements, and I don't deny it happened however it is still happening. Obama's people ran ads talking about a "new economic patriotism", I can only conclude opposing that position is then "unpatriotic". In addition, under Obama if you oppose his position you also run the risk of being labeled racist.
Again, not saying it didn't happen under Bush. But it was wrong then and it is wrong now.
Peace Out.— bird11 - Bird, truth is, I never cared. I'd be more concerned of being accused of patriotism, get my drift? I find it amusing however that the fascists have suddenly found "religion". It's not racism, is it?
- By the way, I would agree that "economic patriotism" is as corny and shallow as any jingoism. That doesn't mean social justice - an issue that transcends borders - is as well.
- C'mon, bird. You have to be incredibly naive to deny that there's is and has been racial element to the visceral hatred of President Obama from Day One.
— wokmaster
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