Free Essay

The History of Drones

In:

Submitted By dman1239
Words 2009
Pages 9
The use of unmanned aircraft goes back 164 years, when Austria used pilotless balloons to drop bombs on Venice in 1849. However, for most people, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) came out of nowhere. What began as a popular imaginative concept for military use has come into being and has grown exponentially in numbers as well as sophistication.In many ways, UAVs are a bit like computers. First they were rare and now they are everywhere. While certain military journalists would say the use of UAVs has positively impacted many levels of military air support others would argue that UAVs have had a destructive effect. Evidence from sources will be compiled throughout this essay to explain the positive versus negative effects that the UAVs have and of the two effects have a larger reward for military purpose.
According to American Scientist Larry Greenmeier , “ The September 11, 2001 attacks initiated an outbreak of advances in military technology over the past decade that has helped the U.S. and its allies redefine modern warfare”. UAVs have had a greater impact on America's missions in the Middle East than conventional aircraft. The following several ideas are what military specialist Dadney. B , Asymmetric Operations Fellow Robert Froust , congressional research associate Elizabeth Bone and congressional specialist in National Defense Christopher Bolkcom believe have lead to the military’s unprecedented levels of usage of UAVs instead of conventional aircraft throughout the last decade: the preservation of soldier life, unparalleled levels of infiltration, surveillance, unlimited time restraints, and instant speed processing power.
Preservation of soldier life is the most important objective of safety in U.S military combat operations. In World War 1 (WW1), pilots had a typical life expectancy of several weeks while flying in combat, at least in the early part of the war. While today’s pilots are far safer than the early pilots of WW1, there are still frequent risks for injury or death. According to congressional research associate Elizabeth Bone and congressional specialist in National Defense Christopher Bolkcom UAVs the lives of pilots by performing the “3-D” missions- those dull, dirty, or dangerous missions that do not require a pilot in the cockpit. Therefore the only true logical way to reduce pilot injury or death completely is the nonexistence of a live human pilot on board the aircraft.

In addition to the safeguarding of pilot life with the use of UVAs they are also able to keep ground troops safer by scanning hundreds of miles around military bases to provide the U.S. military with real-time information so convoys can avoid ambushes from insurgents or roadside bombs (Conroy, 2011). Furthermore, UAVs can also scan convoy routes further from the base ahead of time and pick up any insurgent activity, especially the laying of improvised explosive devices, which are the largest cause of injury and death to troops (Conroy, 2011).
Another advancement that UAVs have made over conventional aircraft in the last decade in the Middle East has been the unparalleled levels of infiltration and surveillance as well as unlimited time restraints that they create. Conventional aircraft need to accommodate a pilot, so they have a minimum size and weight requirement. An aircraft must be at least large enough for a pilot to fit inside, and it must at least be powerful enough to put a grown man into the air. Once you cut out the need for a cockpit, you free up the size, shape, and weight of an aircraft. This freedom allows engineers to design UAVs specifically to fit the criteria of a mission. Some UAVs are even as small as insects, allowing for unprecedented levels of infiltration and surveillance. Furthermore, the pilot limits the conventional aircraft. Unless an aircraft has several trained pilots on board, expecting an aircraft to stay in the sky for more than a day is unreasonable. UAVs are not limited by the physiological needs of human pilots. A set of pilots working in shifts could theoretically pilot a UAV indefinitely, and with nuclear-powered UAVs in the works, this means that UAVs could literally be aloft for months at a time (B. Dabney, 2012).

Imagine the scene. In the middle of a vast hot desert, a sport utility vehicle carrying known terrorists is speeding along the road. In a nearby country, a military crew in a van full of computers is monitoring its progress, via satellite. Back in the desert, a pilotless aircraft has been cruising silently for many hours, thousands of feet above the ground. The crew sends the plane instructions to fly on a course to intercept the vehicle. Before long, the plane is viewing the car via its onboard video camera. Then, it launches a laser-guided missile that disintegrates the vehicle in an impressively powerful display of violence. All the occupants are killed instantly. While this might sound futuristic these are the types of missions that UAVs are able to carry out without ever having being noticed prior to an attack (Conroy, 2013). This high level of surveillance and infiltration as well as unlimited time restraints is why UAVs have been the leading choice of aircraft in the Middle East.
The instant processing speed of a UAV over conventional aircraft pilots within the last decade in the Middle East has allowed our U.S Military to make quicker and better thought-out decisions, which has ultimately led to improved control of certain regions. Removing the pilot from the equation has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, you lose the experience and judgment of a trained professional. On the other, you gain instant-speed processing power. UAVs, much like computers, they can process levels of information that no human could ever dream of sorting through. Thus, with instant processing speed comes improved accuracy (B. Dabney, 2012). Taken from Romesh Ratensar’s article “ 5 Reasons Why Drones Are Here To Stay” (2013), quoted from the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, “the strikes as of May 23, 2013 have killed 3,136 people, including 555 civilians. Though tragic, the ratio of civilian deaths caused by drones—about 17 percent—compares favorably with alternative forms of warfare. In conventional military conflicts, civilian deaths typically account for anywhere between 30 percent and 80 percent of all fatalities. By those standards, U.S. drones strikes have been remarkably precise—and their accuracy has improved with time”. In the future, UAVs equipped with facial recognition software could potentially be able to spot a target within a crowd of thousands of faces, or respond to threats with lightning-fast reflexes (Ratnesar, 2013). These types of advancements in technology are what have made the UAVs superior to conventional aircraft within the last decade in the Middle East.
In conclusion, what began as a trial attempt in 1849 with the use of a UAV in Venice has now turned into a fully evolved method of accomplishing all the important components of successful air warfare. Over the last decade the U.S Military has been able to make substantial ground in the Middle East with the use of UAVs. One advanced usage of UAVs over conventional aircraft is that using UAVs is no different than any other form of military force, except that the people who pull the trigger are a world away and out of any physical danger themselves (Conroy, 2011). In addition to the safety of pilots, UAVs can better be concealed, which can allow them to scan for potential danger to our ground troops. Secondly, what has triggered our military to turn to the use of UAVs is the unparalleled levels of infiltration and surveillance. UAVs are able to go places the military has only ever dreamed of with a manned aircraft. For counter-insurgency or anti-terrorism missions, UAVs are easier to use discretely than manned aircraft because most of the team required to support them is far from the conflict zone (Ratnesar, 2013). Furthermore, by freeing up space for fuel by eliminating a human crew subject to fatigue, UAVs can also fly for much longer than conventional aircraft. Nor do UAVs have to be rotated in and out of a war zone like manned aircraft (Szondy, 2013). Lastly, UAVs are superior over conventional aircraft with the power of instant processing power. With this instant processing power UAVs are able to provide our decision makers more detailed information about targets, allowing the strikes to be more accurate and cause fewer civilian casualties.

UAVs have taken on crucial tasks in the military that have often been deemed too risky for humans: providing surveillance, launching missile attacks on insurgent leaders and dismantling roadside bombs that have been a leading cause of deaths in the recent war. According to Brianna Lee’s article “ 5 Things You Need To Know About Drones” (2012), quoted from Frontline reports “that since September 11, 2001, the number of drones in the U.S.’s military arsenal has expanded from 60 to more than 6,000, with President Obama making unprecedented use of these robotic warriors. Drone strikes have taken out some of al-Qaeda’s most notorious figures, including American-born cleric Anwar al-Awlaki”.

Bibliography

Bone, Elizabeth, and Christopher Bolkcom. "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: Background and Issues for Congress." Report for Congress (2003): n. pag. Print. This is a report of Congress written by a research associate and specialist in national defense. It covers the background information of UAVs and the issues that are associated with them.

B, Dabney. "5 Reasons Why Drones Are the Wave of the Future - Strike Fighter Consulting Inc." Strike Fighter Consulting Inc RSS. N.p., 17 Apr. 2012. Web. 21 Sept. 2013.
The article was written to list the reasons why and how that drones are the future of aviation. In addition, how unmanned aerial vehicles are on a rising trend of innovative research due to overwhelming success in the Middle East.

Conroy, John W. "Drones Keeping 10th Mountain Soldiers Safe from Some Dangers." Watertown Daily Times. N.p., 15 Nov. 2011. Web. 21 Sept. 2013.
The main purpose of this news article was to give examples of how UAVs have been keeping soldiers safe from attack. The article gives some in depth real life experiences that have led to the safe keeping of soldiers by UAVs.

Greenemeier, Larry. "The Drone Wars: 9/11 Inspired Advances in Robotic Combat." LiveScience.com. Tech Media Network, 03 Sept. 2011. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.
The article from Larry Greenemeier was written to show how the attack on the United States on Sept 11. 2001 has as made an impact on the use of drones for military purposes.

Lee, Brianna. "5 Things You Need To Know About Drones." PBS.org. Creative News Group, 13 Sept. 2012. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.
The article written by Brianna Lee states helpful facts and ideas from many other credible people and sources on what people should need to know more about on drones and how important they can be to military use.

O'Neil, Mike. " World War I Fighter Pilots." World War I Fighter Pilots. American Aviators of WW1, n.d. Web. 18 Sept. 2013.
The purpose of this website is to share information regarding aviators in WW1. This particular article goes in depth about the respect level for pilots in the first Great War as well as how dangerous it was to be a pilot in the war.

Ratnesar, Romesh. "5 Reasons Why Drones Are Here To Stay." BloombergBusinessWeek. Bloomberg, 23 May 2013. Web. 21 Sept. 2013.
Purpose of the following article was to give substantial context from credible sources as to why the author believes that drones are here to stay. Several great examples are given by the writer to support why he believes UAVs are here to stay.

Szondy, David. "Beyond Military Drones – the Future of Unmanned Flight." Beyond Military Drones – the Future of Unmanned Flight. Gizmag, 29 June 2013. Web. 22 Sept. 2013.
The article written by David Szondy goes into the ways other than just military use how UAVs can been beneficial. The author believes that UAVs will play a large role in the future of aviation.

Similar Documents

Premium Essay

Pakistan Drones

...from Pakistan's capital city of Islamabad. Fourthly, Osama Bin Laden's assassination came after a blatant violation of Pakistan's national sovereignty by American special forces and without the knowledge of its infamously strong military. Fifthly, Osama Bin Laden's body was disposed in secrecy, and though the opportunity was there to bring the most wanted man in the world to trial, it was deemed unsuitable for the American cause to do so. However, all these concerns though important, are dwarfed when compared to the American policy of conducting drone attacks within Pakistani borders. Interestingly, all of these concerns remain relevant to the issue of drone operations conducted by America within the Pakistani territory. The paper will analyze the use of drone attacks with a primary focus on whether the use of drones can be justified, and attempt to prove that the use of drones is in fact a moral and an administrative evil. History and Nature Of The Conflict The notion of conflict here...

Words: 3157 - Pages: 13

Premium Essay

Drone Commercialization Pros Cons

...In recent months there has been much discussion over the pros and cons of drone commercialization in regards to its effect on economy, uses, and potential risks to the public. In 2012, Congress passed the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012 in favor of the commercialization of drones which proposed general rules for small unmanned aircraft systems conducting non-recreational operations. Although speculations about these new rules in regards to United States’ businesses and economy are promising, issues such as privacy and safety have been neglected. The history of drones derived from the Wright Brother’s breakthrough experimentation with manned aircraft flight. Nearly a century later, “swift technological...

Words: 2870 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Strategic Bombing Analysis

...primary sources to really bring to life this taboo section of history, Zinn has paved the way for Americans to look back on their own history, and even modern-day events, and critically examine the truth that we accept so easily, without a second thought, especially since some events today and their justifications mirror similar events seen throughout history. The ongoing debate about drone strikes, their accuracy, and the ethics behind them closely mirror Zinn’s “Strategic Bombing” missions and their effects. While drones may be more accurate than the bombs used in World War II, their effectiveness is still called into question. In an article from the New York Times, it is revealed that “…when operators in...

Words: 584 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Exploration of Drones

...Domestic Drone Exploration Presented by Team B Jamie Eads Daniel Flores Cindy Greer Amanda Hall August 24, 2014 DeVry University Technology, Society, and Culture LAS432 Professor: Dr. Kenneth Melichar TABLE OF CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION 3 II. DESCRIPTION OF TECHNOLOGY Amanda 4 III. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT Amanda 6 IV. CONTEXT OF THE TECHNOLOGY Amanda 7 V. POLITICAL INFLUENCE Cindy 15 VI. LEGAL INFLUENCE Cindy 17 VII. ENVIRONMENTAL INFLUENCE Cindy 22 VIII. ECONOMY OF DRONE Jaime 23 VIIII. PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS Daniel 32 X. SOCIOLOGICAL AFFECTS Daniel 36 INTRODUCTION Technology is applying science to improve on an existing task to make it easier. Technology can be used for all types of things, from science applications to mechanical engineering. Changing the way something is done often improves it. This is the heart of technology. Technology has evolved into nanotechnology. Nanotechnology is a “technology executed on the scale of less than 100 nanometers, the goal of which is to control individual atoms and molecules, especially to computer chips and other microscopic devices.” Nanotechnology may one day improve the quality of life, thereby extending the life span of humans, by using “small autonomous robot, or nanobot, that can be sent into the human body to repair cells and cure cancers.” (nanotechnology). It is the continued advancement in nanotechnology that has been used to downsize the combative drones that we associate...

Words: 14074 - Pages: 57

Free Essay

Uav Ethics

...FEIT31272 Project Management and the Professional Assignment 1 | Ethics of UAVs | 11035425 Ngo, Kevin 11035502 Truong, Matthew | Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Introduction 2 Overview 3 Definition 3 History of UAV 4 Civil Use 7 Background: 8 Small Picture Ethics 9 Big Picture Ethics 12 Deontology. 12 Relativism 15 Virtue ethics 17 Future use: 19 Recommendation 21 Individual Opinion 22 Kevin Ngo 22 Matthew Truong 25 Reference List 27 Executive Summary Introduction Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) can generally be defined as a “device used or intended to be used for flight in the air that has no on-board pilot”. Current generations of UAVs “can be as small as an insect or as large as a charter flight”. They can be launched from a road or a small vehicle, but are often large enough to accommodate cameras, sensors or other information gathering equipment. Recently, discussions of UAVs have shifted most of the attention toward the ethical, legal and privacy implications that UAVs have, on society in global and domestic level. Overview Definition ------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------------- There are many various terms used to identify these unmanned vehicles to which by its definition are that of a craft without a human pilot within. The most commonly accepted term would be UAV ( unmanned aerial vehicles); the US military much prefer...

Words: 7338 - Pages: 30

Premium Essay

Music 100

...How is the history of European and Arabic cultural contact reveal through musical characteristics in places such as Spain and Bulgaria? In Spain, the authentic flamenco had just a singer. It had a strained type of timbre and melisma was used a lot. It shows that there was Arabic influence because they also had that type of style. And because they also used a guitar as accompaniment, it showed there was European influence because they liked harmony. Bulgarian music also had harmonies but with voices. This was a European characteristic. Their music is very colorful and lively and I think that was Arabic influence. 2. What defines a music as "classical" as opposed to "folk" in the European context? How has "classical" music influenced "folk" music style and performance and vice versa? In the European context, classical music is the highest class of music. Folk is a position relative to classical music. Folk music was meant for the common people. It was the opposite of classical music. Folk played classical music and folk music started to interest higher class people. They wanted to become part of a tradition. Classical music started using some folk themes. 3. Drone is especially prominent in many European music traditions. What are some specific manifestations and how does drone relate to the overall sound? Drone is used in many countries in Europe. For example: Scotland, Ireland, and Hungary. In Scotland and Ireland they use bagpipes and had a constant drone to accompany...

Words: 332 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Wildfires Research Paper

...house get taken out by the fire as he battled it. As of right now it is said to be the third worst fire in California history. This fire has also taken five lives as of Sunday. This is one the ten wildfires burning at this time in California. The two biggest have combined to burn over 2,800 houses and other places. The governor is hoping this area will be declared a disaster soon. If it is...

Words: 764 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Drones, Ethics, and the Armchair Soldier

...Drones, Ethics, and the Armchair Soldier This is an article by the philosopher John Kaag about how the military is dealing with the changes in today’s environment with military warfare and the affects it has on the ground pilots that are driving drones to eliminate targets and terrorists. 10 years ago the Iraq invasion was a remote control game for the soldiers, very similar to how we use our remote controls for channel surfing on the TV or video games today. Many people use remote controls to play games, shoot animals, and blow up buildings to entertain themselves. The military uses similar remote controls to direct and deliver devastating military assaults against enemies and terrorists. Today the operations of the traditional chain of command is similar to writing directions for robots but without having to think about ethics behind it. Now soldiers do not have to be carrying pounds of gear while fighting and fearing for their lives, instead they do their jobs sitting down, they have something in common with philosophers who do their job sitting down. John quoted, “For the first time in history, soldiers have something in common with philosophers: they can do their jobs sitting down.” This provides the remote control soldier additional time and ability to think about how they will use a drone to eliminate a target. Soldiers today need to work their way through arriving at the logical answer of their orders and decisions while working through existential responsibility...

Words: 1225 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

European Music History

...How is the history of European and Arabic cultural contact reveal through musical characteristics in places such as Spain and Bulgaria? In Spain, the authentic flamenco had just a singer. It had a strained type of timbre and melisma was used a lot. It shows that there was Arabic influence because they also had that type of style. And because they also used a guitar as accompaniment, it showed there was European influence because they liked harmony. Bulgarian music also had harmonies but with voices. This was a European characteristic. Their music is very colorful and lively and I think that was Arabic influence. 2. What defines a music as "classical" as opposed to "folk" in the European context? How has "classical" music influenced "folk" music style and performance and vice versa? In the European context, classical music is the highest class of music. Folk is a position relative to classical music. Folk music was meant for the common people. It was the opposite of classical music. Folk played classical music and folk music started to interest higher class people. They wanted to become part of a tradition. Classical music started using some folk themes. 3. Drone is especially prominent in many European music traditions. What are some specific manifestations and how does drone relate to the overall sound? Drone is used in many countries in Europe. For example: Scotland, Ireland, and Hungary. In Scotland and Ireland they use bagpipes and had a constant drone to accompany...

Words: 595 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Drone Strikes

...Drone Strikes, Effective Weapon in the War on Terrorism? William DeJarnette United States Diplomatic History November 21, 2014 September 7, 2009, in Machi Khel in Mir Ali, North Waziristan, Pakistan. At 20,000 feet death silently, stealthily, knifed its way through the afternoon sky. Two drones, operated by American Air Force drone pilots 7,000 miles away in Nevada, USA, had been hovering over the area throughout the day. Modern warfare and the fight against terrorism were about to greet Sadaullah Wazir and his family as they reentered their home after evening prayers in the garden. Moments later an explosive concussion from missiles launched by the drones rocked the neighborhood and body parts flew in every direction. Senior al Qaeda leader Ilyas Kashmiri was killed in his car as it entered the village. However, injured in the attack at the same time were fifteen-year-old Sadaullah and several others. Three of Wazir’s family members were killed. Wazir awoke in a hospital the next day, minus both legs and an eye. Objective met, target Kashmiri eliminated. Collateral damage is just another acceptable part of the plan. The Living Under Drones project interviewed Khalid Raheem, an elder in his community in Pakistan. Raheem is bewildered by the current state of affairs in his country. He states that they knew nothing about where the US was or what type of people lived there. They did know that the US supported the Taliban in their fight against the Soviets, until the Soviets...

Words: 2790 - Pages: 12

Free Essay

Is the War on Terror a Just War? Explain, with Reference to Both Jus Ad Bellum and Jus in Bello.

...In this essay I will argue that the ‘war on terror’ declared by the Bush administration and so assessed for the US; is not a just war. It fails in the central interrelated criteria of just cause and last resort for jus ad bellum, which I detail first through assessment of the Bush administration’s self-proclaimed just reasoning behind resorting to war against a concept, and the alternatives available to it, I will then detail its failure in the jus in bello criteria of discrimination and proportionality, reasoning through the case of drone warfare. Jus ad bellum I shall firstly focus on the crucial jus ad bellum principle of just cause, holding the only just cause for war to be self-defence . The USA and its allies suffered unjust, unprovoked terror attacks, notably to embassies and battleships, as well as ultimately the 9/11 disaster, and further possessed reputable evidence of other failed attacks. Thus this essay acknowledges that they were under-attack from a powerful and effective enemy, which could be reliably pinpointed as Al Qaeda. These attacks were focused on non-combatants in landmark locations; deliberate targeting for maximum terror spreading effect, which further represented an attack on western freedoms. Hence the assailant satisfied neither jus ad bellum, nor jus in bello, and without immediate and effective action there existed great potential for further unjust attacks. This was the Bush administration’s argument for sufficient reason to declare war in self-defence...

Words: 2219 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Argumentaive Drones

...Is the Use of Drone Military Tactics or not? In 2002 of February 4th history was made that allowed CIA and military to use such extraordinary equipment that made it safer for pilots and national security defense to use to spy on our enemies around the world without being noticed or even harming a human life at stake. But what can we really say that these drones let alone can be worth so much money of the tax payers that we don’t see the results that they are really made for.The drone was made and it was made for just that purpose in that world to help aid in the fight in counter-terrorism let alone not let any more of our military pilots put their lives at risk in dangerous zones. But due to recent events that lead to a sort of downfall in using these pilot less drones, is it actually worth the billions we spend on it to be used in the military or is it even worth having though due to some malfunctions of the drone killed innocent civilians not only from other lands, but our own American civilians as well. Does America really needs these drones that can help with the war on terror and costing us so much money let alone deaths, or do we need something different or not even the drones at all. Back in 2008 while I was serving in Afghanistan and right now I am gearing up for another tour right after the final week of school has ended, I remember hearing about the drones and what the purpose was for. At the time I could never really see one up close and let alone be in the same...

Words: 2713 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Bis/375 Wk 2 Team Assignment

...and mortar side of business. One company that has taken advantage of the internet to conduct business is Amazon.com. Through the use of the E-commerce, Amazon.com has positioned itself to becoming a household name. To gain an understanding at how Amazon.com has managed to accomplish this, their history should be understood, the regulations, issues and opportunities should be reviewed and the website experiences should also be explored. Once these are done, the phenomenon that Amazon.com is today can be grasped and understood. History of Amazon Amazon is the largest online e-business in America founded in 1994 by Jeffrey Bezos. Amazon original worked as an online bookstore branching into clothing, gourmet food, watches, jewelry, baby product, apparel, and many other products by 1999. To keep up with changing times and competition Amazon developed their prime service. Amazon prime released in 2005 gave customers the option of fast delivery by paying on flat rate each month. America was the birth place of Amazon, but Amazon has now spread too many markets like Japan, France, The United Kingdom, and Germany with plans to expand to other markets in the future. According to "The History of Amazon" (2016), “Amazon also experimented with online auctioning forging an unsuccessful partnership with Sotheby’s but was unable to break eBay’s stranglehold on this...

Words: 1155 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

“Drone Proliferation: How Much Is Too Much?”

...shoot laser guided rockets. Over the past several decades innovations in military technology have changed the course of military tactics and warfare itself. Drones have transcended themselves from the pages of science-fiction to the articles of science-fact, thus our need to utilize them in battle has grown exponentially. With their inception comes the debate of whether or not to mass produce smaller models or produce smaller numbers of larger models has only begun (Springer 39). The fact that droids can emulate human cognition and process vast amounts of information pertaining to given situations make the desire to implement them into war all that more tempting. “The inherent advantages of drones -- most of all, not placing pilots or ground forces at risk of being killed or captured -- have lowered the threshold for the use of force” (Zenko,”The Next Drone Wars”). Nothing could have been more truthful, it also brings up several factors concerning the proliferation of Drones, or more specifically UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and the like. Has lowering the threshold for the use of force had a positive impact on international relations or has it hurt our means towards diplomatic resolutions? The ramifications for such a powerful addition to a nation’s arsenal stem from the technology’s specifications themselves. Drones are semiautonomous, efficient and relatively cost-effective. They are not capable of independent thought and therefore do not need to have extrasensory perception...

Words: 2968 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

By The Drones Eerie Light Analysis

..."By the Drones' Eerie Light." National Review. National Review, 26 May 2016. Web. 11 Jan. 2017. Pulitzer Prize winner and historian, Arthur Herman in his article, “By the Drones’ Eerie Light” (2016), presents the case for why Obama’s expansion of drone warfare is a success and the displays the multiple benefits it has over conventional tactics. He supports this argument by saying, “The advantages are obvious, particularly in conflicts like the current one against ISIS or even in Afghanistan, where American troops for political reasons can’t be thick on the ground, and where you don’t want to put American pilots and aviators in danger of death or capture, or both, in case their aircraft gets shot down (think of the Jordanian pilot ISIS captured and literally roasted alive).” The author’s purpose it to explain the technology in order to show how it can be used to give the US advantages in combat and military missions. He goes through this in an objective manner and presents facts to support President Obama’s drone program such as ISIS and the Taliban lack an air defense program and that it keeps soldiers safe, which is somewhat surprising because the National Review is known to lean right, but that shows that possible bias didn’t sway the article. The author Arthur Herman is a distinguished historian who works for the Hudson Institute and is also a Pulitzer Prize winner which bodes well for his credibility given that the Pulitzer Prize is one of the highest awards a journalist...

Words: 1780 - Pages: 8