The "Reaper"
The NPR Check item I just posted about reminded me of an NPR story that ran a bit over a year ago. It involved the "Predator" and the newer "Reaper" drone aircraft the Pentagon likes to use for "precision" bombing in densely populated areas it wishes to pacify. I wrote about this here: Where is Sidney Freedman when you need him?
Over about the last month, these diabolical remote-controlled aircraft have been used to deadly effect in the area of Baghdad called Sadr City:
Heavy civilian casualties after drone attacks
Posted: 2008/05/09 - From: Mathaba
by Diana Lee
Time and time again, news stories of heavy civilian casualties have surfaced ? largely innocent women and children slaughtered or injured - after reports of attacks by armed UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that roamed the skies in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon and Gaza.The story goes on to describe how these killing machines are used in Afghanistan as well.
Most recently, UNICEF expressed serious concern about the systematic air and missile attacks wreaking havoc in Sadr City by the U.S. military in its relentless pursuit of insurgents. The Iraqi government declares almost 1,000 people have died so far ? 60% of them are women and children. Prior to the UNICEF report, USA Today gave an account that the U.S. military record showed ?an unprecedented number of air strikes by unmanned airplanes in April to kill insurgents?. The Pentagon has increased use of armed drones to deal with the escalation in fighting in Baghdad's district of Sadr City as well as in Basra.
The way NPR reported the wonders of these devices, it was all about family. "Pilots" could go home to their wives & children after a day in the lab sending missiles into other people's homes. I am just so anguished that in America this story of sickening death and destruction can be given a veneer such as that presented by NPR.
The news today is perhaps a hopeful Mother's Day message: a ceasefire in Sadr City. But a thousand civilians killed under the weight of U.S. remote-control bombs has been the cost.
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