Drone attacks in Libya: A mistake

[The Northerner]

By David Ignatius

Drone attacks have become an addictive tool of U.S. national security policy, as illustrated by Thursday’s unfortunate announcement that President Obama has authorized their use in Libya.

Armed with Hellfire missiles, the Predator drone is a tool for assassination from 10,000 feet. It has been used by the CIA, with a paper-thin veneer of deniability, to attack al-Qaeda operatives and related targets in the tribal areas of Pakistan, where other weapons do not reach. One would like to think that’s a special case, born of the extreme threat posed on Sept. 11, 2001, and the remoteness of the tribal areas where the attackers are hiding.

But now we have Defense Secretary Robert Gates, accompanied by Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stating at a news conference that Obama “has approved the use of armed Predators” over Libya—and, indeed, that the first mission was launched on Thursday but aborted because of bad weather.

They did not state what targets the Predator had been assigned to strike. But surely it’s likely that the goal was to kill Libyan leader Moammar Gaddafi or other members of his inner circle.

Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/post/drone-attacks-in-libya-a-mistake/2011/03/04/AFtZrRKE_blog.html

[ixion]

1. The US Military in Libya, Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemenn: A HUGE mistake.

[Vinnie From Indy]

2. Don't fool yourself!

We are moving closer to a time when drones will be flying over American cities as "law enforcement" tools.

[MadHound]

4. They're already here,

<http://www.miaminewtimes.com/2010-12-09/news/miami-dade-police-buy-drones/>

Other cities around the country are looking into purchasing drones as well. Welcome to our brave new world.

[MadHound]

3. Yup, we're just wading further and further into this quagmire,

Of course that is probably the plan. The MIC has to have enough wars going to keep it happy, and since it looks like Iraq is, thankfully, winding down, we've got to have one waiting and ready to go.

[themadstork]

5. Wtf is our obsession with these drones

Assassinating someone while playing a video game. . . How American.

[daleo]

7. Most psychopaths would consider it a dream come true

Which tells you something.

[inna]

6. Unreal.

:nuke: