Matt Bors for October 18, 2013
Transcript:
When Malala Yousafzai met Obama, she told him: Malala: Drones are fueling terrorism. Drone Hour Politician: She's clearly not a SERIOUS ANALYST. Friggin' millennial! Man: Well, one of them won a Nobel Peace Prize and one didn't. Terrorist #1: We hate to see a woman so EDUCATED! Terrorist #2: And so right.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
While she’s correct, our efforts at hegemony have been fueling terrorism for decades. Little things like Iran/Contra, Grenada, Panama, Guatemala, and of course all Middle East nations, but one.
I Play One On TV over 10 years ago
Truth is truth, regardless of its source, and regardless of how the source is perceived. It is unfortunate that truth is so often ignored, and how many people’s lives become “collateral damage” as a result.
Michael Peterson Premium Member over 10 years ago
And who said this?
tiredofit over 10 years ago
I didn’t see anyone belittle or mock her for saying this, and I didn’t see anyone defend the President. This one appears to be all in Matt Bors’ imagination.
Enoki over 10 years ago
And she was told “Nice burka…”
Donaldo Premium Member over 10 years ago
Drones don’t fuel terrorism. Drones kill terrorists, without risking soldiers lives
chazandru over 10 years ago
Drones fuel terrorism when they kill civilians whose surviving members seek revenge by joining terrorist groups. Cannon shells, RPGs, and other weapons that kill at a distance do the same. Soldiers who fire on unarmed non-combatants also fuel terrorism. Terrorism is how people who can’t form an effective army against their opponent get revenge and try to get their way.An A-10 pilot I knew worked on the drone project during its early days before it went ‘live’. HE considered it terrorism since we were using ‘robots’ to kill at a distance. He thought it was dishonorable and unethical. He also showed me pictures of bullet holes in his aircraft received during Desert Storm. I don’t want our military sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, father and mothers killed in combat. But I don’t want non combatants killed just because they made the mistake of living in a house beside one where the ‘bad guy’ lived.How do we balance that?Respectfully,C.
hippogriff over 10 years ago
Enoki: She does not wear a burka. Learn facts and a vocabulary before spouting off.
eugene57 over 10 years ago
“Oh that is bull, we are the ONLY Nation who does not “nation build””Are you totally blind to what the neocons did during G W Bush’s term. They wanted to be the new Roman Empire.
eugene57 over 10 years ago
Tho you cannot understand much, I wrote neocons, not GW, wanted to make america the new Roman Empire.
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
R.T.: I’m sure your A-10 “warthog” pilot friend can also tell you that while it was one of our best designed military aircraft, with a pilot to make last moment decisions, they’re being converted to just “stand off” and launch drones: a dumb idea.
Every time I see “commanders” demand helicopter pilots launch hellfires, or a drone attack, I’m reminded of a real incident when the South Vietnamese Air Farce guy we called in, dropped his bombs seven miles away, ‘cause we were getting shot at. A Marine F-4 pilot heard what was happening, and came in, dropping napalm within a few meters of us, exactly where we told him to, and avoided “damaging friendlies”(me and my buddies). He wasn’t using thermal imaging, prone to gross error, or the commands of some “pilot” half a planet away, he was using “eyes on” targeting in real time, not even the 10-30 second delays that drones have in their “commands” from those bunker “pilots” so far away.
I LIKE knocking off “bad guys”, when accurately identified, but hated the way Bush was using drones. Don’t care for some of the attacks under Obama either, but at least they DID start demanding some more accurate intel before striking.
The recent incident in Somalia, where the “mission” was called off at the last minute by the SEALs, because there was too great a risk to a lot of “friendlies” (as in collateral damage) it IS a smarter way to conduct missions, and REDUCE that payoff the “terrorists” are looking for as “rationale”.
pirate227 over 10 years ago
Collateral damage is fueling terrorism.
Donaldo Premium Member over 10 years ago
@The Wolf in Your MidstI’m not saying all that, but when a drone kills civilians it’s unintenional. When terrorists kill civilians it’s not only intentional, it’s their very strategy
William Bednar Premium Member over 10 years ago
According to the “terrorists”, the very existance of the United States is fuling terrorism!
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
Harry: while it’s mostly “control” drones from standoff, drones come in many sizes, and even laser guided missiles are technically “drones”.
sdut sucks over 10 years ago
That would be my guess, as well.
sdut sucks over 10 years ago
If you’re referring to President Obama, the word “aspirant” is overdone. As I recall, he was more surprised than anyone at receiving the award. I think it was bestowed on him out of hope, not necessarily out of reality.
If I misunderstood your statement, or you were referring to another recipient, then disregard my comment. i don’t wish to challenge you, as we usually appear to be on the same side.
OmqR-IV.0 over 10 years ago
Oh, I had missed this cartoon. A theme I had harped on over a year ago with even a few liberals beating my head over it. Excellent viewpoint on the subject.