KURTENBACH: Military Drones -- A new kind of war.

[Oscar]

KURTENBACH: Military Drones -- A new kind of war.

February 25, 2012

To the Editor,

My very limited knowledge of the use of drones, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles [UAVs], was mostly about those that are being used in the Middle East, by the American military, with the expertise of the Central Intelligence Agency [CIA]. Most of us have heard that these armed drones have been used to seek out people in foreign countries, whom the military has taken the liberty of labelling "terrorists" so they then could kill that person.

Let me preface my remarks by stating that drones may be devices for almost unlimited peaceful uses. For example, search and find, photography, scientific discovery, surveillance and reconnaissance, etc. The latter two could certainly also be used in a military struggle. Presently, there are about thirty countries that own UAVs. Some have only a few, while others include a mind-boggling number of an array of sizes and technical uses. Some models can remain in the air for over 300 hours, others for as little as 3 hours.

A magazine that I consider trustworthy informed its readers that the USA has stationed drones on about 60 global bases. The drones can also be mounted on Navy aircraft carriers and activated on the so-called "enemies" while in international waters. Generally a military informant or the CIA operative in a foreign country may suggest an enemy target, relay that message to a drone headquarters in the US, who will send an armed drone from the nearest base to eliminate the target -- no human hands or joystick required! The Washington Post best described wars of the future where drones will "hunt and kill the enemy based on calculations made by software, not decisions made by humans."

Canada's first drones were leased from Israel. Now many manufacturers, certainly including weapons manufacturers, as well as Canada, are in the business. Our country is the world's 6th largest arms exporter. One out of every four dollars that our government spends goes to the military!

Should Canadians be concerned about becoming involved in any future wars? We really should for the following reasons: Some months ago, Prime Minister Harper was being interviewed by a well known journalist. During the interview, Mr. Harper suggested that he did not see Canadian soldiers as peacekeepers, but rather as "courageous warriors." The journalist asked the Prime Minister what he considered the greatest threat to Canada. His response was "terrorism". Mr. Harper then added that we [Canadians] should not expect the US to alone bear the burden of terrorism.

From a military point of view, the cost of a drone if much less than that of a F-35 fighter jet and does not need a human pilot.

Dear readers, if you do not like your tax dollars going to the military, go to "consciencecanada.ca"!

Leo Kurtenbach,
Saskatoon.
Phone: 652-5129