DroneS: Friend or When America’s leading statesmen met to frame a new constitution for the young republic, they hoped to transform their ideas and principles into a framework of law. Not all of them got their way, however. Elbridge Gerry proposed that the Constitution limit standing armies to five thousand men. George Washington applauded the motion, but added that they should consider limiting invading armies to three thousand men. The convention laughed the motion out of consideration. Washington was in many ways the original conservative. During the Revolution, he had worked tirelessly to defend traditional American liberties and dedicated himself to keeping the Colonies unified. He also worked to keep the radicals in check, from liberals who dogmatically opposed any governmental action to nationalists who dreamt of a global mercantilist power. The Washington who ridiculed Gerry’s motion also believed that an excessive military establishment could impinge upon personal freedom. He hoped to maintain the military America needed and nothing more. Fast forward to 2012: rows of musketmen have been replaced by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) armed with everything from advanced detection equipment to high-explosive missiles. The issue divides Democrats and Republicans alike; even conservatives have no unified position. To some, drone warfare is part of a hallowed military establishment that must be never questioned. For others, the UAV is a terrifying encroachment of big government. Those who leap to either conclusion may well be die-hard nationalists or liberals. A conservative, however, must apply George Washington’s test: Is it potentially dangerous and/or necessary to selfgovernment? First: Are drones a threat to American liberty? Sadly, the answer is yes. Any policy grants the government power, which in the hands of a cabal is a threat to liberty – especially when it involves an exclusive claim on blowing things into little pieces. Further, the modern drone is not like a welfare check or a fancy new tank. It has incredible, almost inconceivable destructive potential.
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The drone supports a myriad of aerial capabilities. The military and police can outfit it with a wider array of weapons, surveillance equipment, and other devices than any helicopter or fighter plane. Flying lower and more slowly, its precision with these tools surpasses most other aircraft, watching individual rooms or targeting particular people for annihilation. Its small profile and quiet propulsion make the drone almost unnoticeable. Drones are also incredibly cost efficient. Uncle Sam can buy thirty Predator drones for the price of one F-22 fighter, forty for an AC-130 aerial gunship, and 250 for a single B-2 bomber. In addition, there is no need to risk skilled flight crews, and it is fair easier to train remote operators than pilots. A few drones can cover more area than an AC-130 at lower cost and to greater effect. Will America’s humane and democratic government use this power against its citizens? Everyone – Left and Right, Occupier and Tea Partier – has witnessed the willingness of government to use violence against “dangerous dissidents”. Drones have already claimed American victims: Anwar and Abdul-Rahman al-Awlaki and Kamal Derwish, jihadi sympathizers killed by drone strikes in Yemen, were not saved by their United States citizenship. Law enforcement use of UAVs for surveillance purposes has already begun in American cities. The greatest danger, however, lies in a drone’s stealth. Unlike the siege at Waco or the clashes in Oakland, a UAV flying overhead is inconspicuous. Pakistanis have reported that one does not know a drone is around until a missile strikes. This is a deadly problem because Americans are oblivious to any problem not shoved in their face by the 24-hour-media. Consider our budget deficit: until right-wing commentators and politicians discovered how useful the issue was, nobody cared. Frankly, Americans would revel in their limitless freedom even if drones watched their every move. Our apathy towards the deaths of innocents at the hands of America’s militarized police force indicates that drones could murder our compatriots without inciting protest.