The Story Of The Drone Strike That Saved Hundreds Of Lives
Saving lives on the ground with precision strikes from the air - that's the mission of US Air Force drone pilots. In a rare inside-look at an MQ-1 Predator drone base, a pilot shares his account of a mission which saved the lives of hundreds of friendly forces and civilians.
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2. Austin commented 5 years ago
It must be noted that drone strikes have also TAKEN hundreds of innocent lives as well.
Americans tend to overlook the ‘collateral damage’ and the hatred it engenders in generations of CIVILAINS not combatants towards the US and its foreign policy. Every civilian death probably gives rise to a new crop of recruits ready to sacrifice themselves.
This is not the consequence free weapon that most Americans think it is.
Long War Journal , which follows US anti-terror developments, records that as of mid-2011, drone strikes in Pakistan since 2006 had killed 2,018 militants and 138 civilians.
The New America Foundation stated in mid-2011 that from 2004 to 2011, 80% of the 2,551 people killed in the strikes were militants. 20% or 510 were civilians or non-combatants.
In 2012, 15% of the total people killed by drone strikes were either known civilians or unknown.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism say the rate of civilian casualties for 2012 is 9 percent –
At least 385 civilians were among the dead, including more than 160 children.
The Obama administration estimated in June 2016 that US drone strikes under Obama had killed 64 individuals conclusively determined to be non-combatants, in addition to 52 individuals whose status remained in doubt.[
It has been reported that 160 children have died from UAV-launched attacks in Pakistan and that over 1,000 civilians have been injured.
Reporting has found that known militant leaders have constituted only 2 percent of all drone-related fatalities
The New America Foundation estimates that for the period 2004-2011, the non-militant fatality rate was approximately 20%.
Americans tend to overlook the ‘collateral damage’ and the hatred it engenders in generations of CIVILAINS not combatants towards the US and its foreign policy. Every civilian death probably gives rise to a new crop of recruits ready to sacrifice themselves.
This is not the consequence free weapon that most Americans think it is.
Long War Journal , which follows US anti-terror developments, records that as of mid-2011, drone strikes in Pakistan since 2006 had killed 2,018 militants and 138 civilians.
The New America Foundation stated in mid-2011 that from 2004 to 2011, 80% of the 2,551 people killed in the strikes were militants. 20% or 510 were civilians or non-combatants.
In 2012, 15% of the total people killed by drone strikes were either known civilians or unknown.
The Bureau of Investigative Journalism say the rate of civilian casualties for 2012 is 9 percent –
At least 385 civilians were among the dead, including more than 160 children.
The Obama administration estimated in June 2016 that US drone strikes under Obama had killed 64 individuals conclusively determined to be non-combatants, in addition to 52 individuals whose status remained in doubt.[
It has been reported that 160 children have died from UAV-launched attacks in Pakistan and that over 1,000 civilians have been injured.
Reporting has found that known militant leaders have constituted only 2 percent of all drone-related fatalities
The New America Foundation estimates that for the period 2004-2011, the non-militant fatality rate was approximately 20%.


3. Judge-Jake commented 5 years ago
Austin i'm a little curious as to how you write your comments, you can't possibly know all the facts and stats that you put on here, so what are you doing? are you actually searching the net for all this stuff before you type...every time...don't you find it a little tedious? I'm not having a go (especially) I'm just curious. Feel free to PM me if you don't want to disclose it on the site.



4. Austin commented 5 years ago
Hi JJ.
It is really just a case of trying of be reasonably well read and well-informed about world events, policies, practices etc. etc. and to not be a passive news and information consumer but to approach things with an inquisitive and critical mind-set.
All mass media is presented within an ideological framework and once you recognize that and try to get your information from a range of sources, not just from those that support your worldview, then the world becomes infinitely more interesting IMHO. And descriptions that contain worlds such as ‘drones’, ‘precision strikes’ and ‘saving lives’ immediately jump out as representing as ideological position – one that many parts of the world would take issue with in terms of truth and veracity. Fact is drones are controversial because of the civilian deaths.
Knowing this – easy quick research to find the organizations that keep track of such statistics. The google machine is most helpful but you have to know what you are looking for. And how to assess the information presented.
Glorifying drones and ignoring the civilians deaths was easy and clearly, Suxy put it up to be provocative.
People have asked why did Snotr become so political and polarized – well look at the context that is being posted. Drones, my kid is a socialist, anti-muslim vids… There is your answer.
Anywho – I read, I question, I try to know the issues and the different perspectives and I respond accordingly. And to facilitate discussion I will not hesitate to present another perspective, one that may contain facts an or empirical data. Those pesky facts and numbers and statistics … always causing problems ….. ;-)
It is really just a case of trying of be reasonably well read and well-informed about world events, policies, practices etc. etc. and to not be a passive news and information consumer but to approach things with an inquisitive and critical mind-set.
All mass media is presented within an ideological framework and once you recognize that and try to get your information from a range of sources, not just from those that support your worldview, then the world becomes infinitely more interesting IMHO. And descriptions that contain worlds such as ‘drones’, ‘precision strikes’ and ‘saving lives’ immediately jump out as representing as ideological position – one that many parts of the world would take issue with in terms of truth and veracity. Fact is drones are controversial because of the civilian deaths.
Knowing this – easy quick research to find the organizations that keep track of such statistics. The google machine is most helpful but you have to know what you are looking for. And how to assess the information presented.
Glorifying drones and ignoring the civilians deaths was easy and clearly, Suxy put it up to be provocative.
People have asked why did Snotr become so political and polarized – well look at the context that is being posted. Drones, my kid is a socialist, anti-muslim vids… There is your answer.
Anywho – I read, I question, I try to know the issues and the different perspectives and I respond accordingly. And to facilitate discussion I will not hesitate to present another perspective, one that may contain facts an or empirical data. Those pesky facts and numbers and statistics … always causing problems ….. ;-)


5. Judge-Jake commented 5 years ago
#4 Thanks for that Austin, very interesting. I'm always interested in facts and information about the world generally. I have my own views about certain subjects and some subjects in particular do get my arguing head on, especially if I know I'm right lol 



11. thundersnow commented 5 years ago
I am glad there are still people like #4.


13. sunnydaze4me commented 5 years ago
#11 Yea at least he has one groupie. 

+6 1. Judge-Jake commented 5 years ago