MooPig 'Stuff No One Wants to Hear About' Department :: "Drones"

It's 2014, and what do we have? Drones... Yay?!
Retrieved articles by Pat Darnell  |  Jan 5, 2014  |  Bryan TX

[Picture LINK] ... victims of drone strikes were hopeful for the implementation of their fundamental right to life ...

" ... One of the few certainties about wars is that prime ministers and presidents will always send young men to fight and die in them. (Paul Daley. 18 December 2013. LINK) ... Then those same leaders will just as certainly insist that the human, social, financial and political cost has been worth it ... "

MooPig Waging War Editorial Department has a viewpoint on the question: is war in Afghanistan worth the price? When 21st Century politicians in USA and its allies looked at their war chests, they discovered a multitude of weapons research and development work had been done. But none of these new age weapons had been tested in war. So, like Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice, sort of a four brained monster, looked around the globe for a suitable testing ground.


[Picture LINK]


Someone talked the Saudis into funding an attack on the USA, and thus is born the magnanimous Pearl Harbor of the 21st Century, "9/11." This gave the four brained monster its go ahead for a war in the sparsely populated deserts of the Middle East. Good call, because we could now test all our high tech weaponry. What a hey day for Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld/Rice, and our million man military.

"We were just looking for someone's ass to kick," said our politicians at the time.

The World Can't Wait! Stop the Crimes of Your Government: " She worked on the US drone program. The public should know what really goes on Covert Drone War  | Heather Linebaugh | December 29, 2013  |  EXCERPT  | " ... Few of the politicians who so brazenly proclaim the benefits of drones have a real clue how it actually works (and doesn't) Whenever I read comments by politicians defending the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Predator and Reaper program – aka drones – I wish I could ask them a few questions. I'd start with: "How many women and children have you seen incinerated by a Hellfire missile?" ..."

Many, many, many people "see the United States as the oppressor, as the perpetrator, the violator of Pakistan sovereignty, so it is very difficult, extremely difficult for the people on the ground in the tribal areas to defend or support something that is killing members of militant groups" and accidentally killing innocent people in the process. (VOA News. March 15, 2013. LINK)

" ... EXCERPT  |  ... U.S. officials rarely discuss the use of drones against terrorists, though they say privately civilian casualties are minimal.

Imtiaz Gul says his researchers found the collateral damage is significant.

"Largely the pattern that emerged, in most of the cases, regardless of whether there was also a legitimate target present or not, a lot of innocent people, women and children also lost their lives," he said. (ibid. VOA News.)..."

'via Blog this'

Some more questions come to mind as we meander through drone articles. How does a drone analyst become a Drone Flying Ace? Does the controller analyst get her kudos from not killing any one, thus an Ace; or does she become an Ace for killing the most?

For instance it's all about a body count:

" ... 26 Dec 2013: Drone fired two missiles at a home in a northwestern tribal region of Pakistan bordering Afghanistan, Pakistani ..."

"...31 Dec 2013: Strikes this year 2013 are estimated to have killed up to 271 people, down from 2012 figure of between 505 and 532..."

"...Heather Linebaugh | December 29, 2013. "...I knew the names of some of the young soldiers I saw bleed to death on the side of a road. I watched dozens of military-aged males die in Afghanistan, in empty fields, along riversides, and some right outside the compound where their family was waiting for them to return home from the mosque...."

" ...20 Dec 2013: Clive Stafford Smith: Response: Drones are killing civilians in Pakistan and Yemen, while Britain refuses to admit its co-operation with illegal US attacks... "

"...Reuters in Sana'a and Spencer Ackerman, Thursday 12 December 2013 | ... Hammond's snapshot of what he calls the "precision" RPA is presented in the same week as the latest drone atrocity, with at least 15 Yemeni people slaughtered in what turned out to be a convoy of wedding guests, not al-Qaida terrorists...."

" ...Clive Stafford Smith. Friday 20 December 2013 ... And neither the US nor the UK will say how many civilians they think they are killing, although we at Reprieve represent more than 150 civilian victims and families of those killed in drone strikes ..."

Slaughter of civilians while trolling for terrorists, that is what we are in store for this year and next. And it is no joke, there are FAA studies to make drones available in USA skies by 2015. The drone program is being expanded and is being tested in "Alaska, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Texas and Virginia who will host the research sites, the agency said. They were chosen from among 24 states bidding to host the program. (Associated Press in Las Vegas. Monday 30 December 2013. LINK)"

As a matter of fact, the USA is drone crazy: "...Drones have been mainly used by the military but governments, businesses, farmers and others are making plans to join the market. Many universities are starting or expanding drone programs (ibid. AP in LV.)... The FAA projects that some 7,500 commercial drones could be aloft within five years of being given widespread access to American airspace..."

CONCLUSION
Drones are here to stay. We inherit them from our 21st Century military. Commercial use in American airspace is only a year away. Will the effectiveness of drones always be determined by body counts? And, what's to keep American homeowners from shooting drones down?

Critics say: "...The growing drone industry has critics among conservatives and liberals. Giving drones greater access to US skies moves the nation closer to “a surveillance society in which our every move is monitored, tracked, recorded and scrutinized by the authorities”, the American Civil Liberties Union declared in a report last December (ibid. AP in LV.)..."

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Editor's note: MooPig Waging War Editorial Department does not possess any classified material and has honored its non-disclosure agreement since the time of its discharge. So don't send any drones to our house, please! Especially the ones shaped like owls ... YIKES!

[Picture LINK]

_____________________Reference
http://www.worldcantwait.net/
http://www.worldcantwait.net/index.php/features/covert-drone-war/8450-i-worked-on-the-us-drone-program-the-public-should-know-what-really-goes-on
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/dec/18/in-defence-of-drones-keep-civilians-troops-safe
http://www.theguardian.com/world/drones
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/dec/18/drones-protect-british-troops-afghanistan-philip-hammond-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/jul/11/drone-aircraft-carrier-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/jun/20/fbi-drones-spy-us-senators-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/may/24/barack-obama-drone-strikes-save-lives-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2013/sep/25/boeing-f-16-drone-us-air-force-video
http://www.theguardian.com/world/postcolonial/2013/dec/19/australian-troops-leave-afghanistan-was-it-worth-it
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/26/us-drone-strike-kills-three-militants
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/30/states-host-drone-operational-tests-faa
http://www.reprieve.org.uk/press/uk_must_not_hide_drone_war_involvement/
http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=259174
http://www.ikhwanweb.com/article.php?id=22757
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/26/oklahoma-drone-next-generation-faa
http://www.voanews.com/content/resaercher-most-civilian-drone-deaths-from-faulty-information/1622442.html
http://web.law.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/microsites/human-rights-institute/CountingDroneDeathsPresserFINAL.pdf
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/31/civilian-drone-deaths-pakistan-report_n_4180293.html

FWD Emails Department :: MooPig

Thought you might find this interesting .....
Retrieved from email by Pat Darnell  |  June 10, 2011  |  Bryan TX  | Source Unknown

LET ME SEE IF I GOT THIS RIGHT!!!

[ ... ]

IF YOU CROSS THE NORTH KOREAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET 12 YEARS HARD LABOR.

IF YOU CROSS THE IRANIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU ARE DETAINED INDEFINITELY.

IF YOU CROSS THE AFGHAN BORDER ILLEGALLY, YOU GET SHOT.

IF YOU CROSS THE SAUDI ARABIAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE JAILED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CHINESE BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU MAY NEVER BE HEARD FROM AGAIN.

IF YOU CROSS THE VENEZUELAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE BRANDED A SPY AND YOUR FATE WILL BE SEALED.

IF YOU CROSS THE CUBAN BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU WILL BE THROWN INTO POLITICAL PRISON TO ROT.

IF YOU CROSS THE U.S. BORDER ILLEGALLY YOU GET:

1 - A JOB,
2 - A DRIVERS LICENSE,
3 - SOCIAL SECURITY CARD,
4 - WELFARE,
5 - FOOD STAMPS,
6 - CREDIT CARDS,
7 - SUBSIDIZED RENT OR A LOAN TO BUY A HOUSE,
8 - FREE EDUCATION,
9 - FREE HEALTH CARE,
10 - A LOBBYIST IN WASHINGTON
11 - BILLIONS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF PUBLIC DOCUMENTS PRINTED IN YOUR LANGUAGE
12 - AND THE RIGHT TO CARRY YOUR COUNTRY'S FLAG WHILE YOU PROTEST THAT YOU DON'T GET ENOUGH RESPECT

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE I HAD A FIRM GRASP ON THE SITUATION...

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Report from the Middle :: Converging Arguments PART TWO

PHOTO: Caption -- "What ever you do General, do not kiss my wife."

I just read the whole Rolled 'n Stoned Article ... Now please tell me "why was McChryslers fired?

RandS TITLE: The Runaway General 'Stanley McChrystal,' Obama's top commander in Afghanistan, has seized control of the war by never taking his eye off the real enemy: 'The wimps in the White House'
By Michael Hastings | Retrieved Today by Pat Darnell HERE
Jun 22, 2010 10:00 AM EDT


Our Hard Rockin' Generals are dancing on the rocks of eternity over there in Afghanistan, where nothing seems to happen.

[SEE: General McChrystal, I Salute You, by Christina Gideon HERE]

And the enemy has even split from Afghanistan, and set up their Hard Rock HQ in Pakistan.

So if I am to understand what happened after the article came out ... I saw the committee [John McCain and all] gathered in front of Patraeus today.

So why is this not a "discovery of privatization of armed forces" versus "COIN ..." as drudgingly as the bream that is swimming defensively to their demise ... so incompletely described in this article?

But, really, why is McChrysler no longer the man? I don't see where the "insubordination" is.

That's our Report From the Middle where we are Sleepless in Bryan, with fingers crossed ... waiting for Hurricane Alex to land, hopefully, followed by the Jonas Bros' Charity Storm-Aid Ball .... God! Girls! Guitars!

Afghanistan, Military, Virginia

Retrieved by Pat Darnell at Linked SOURCEs

[Sep 16th] Flags fly at half-staff for Marine killed in Afghanistan
By Lauren King The Virginian-Pilot © September 16, 2009
[Source]

Flags will be flown at half-staff over the state Capitol in Richmond in honor of 1st Lt. Michael Johnson, a U.S. Marine who died in Afghanistan during a firefight Sept. 8. He graduated from Hickory High School in Chesapeake and lived in Virginia Beach.

The flags will be lowered at sunrise today and remain at half-staff until sunset, according to a signed order from Gov. Timothy M. Kaine.

NATO forces are investigating the firefight that killed Johnson, 25, three other U.S. troops and nine Afghans, according to a Pentagon spokesman.

Johnson was assigned to the 7th Communications Battalion, 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force Headquarters Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan. (King, Lauren. The Virginian-Pilot, © September 16, 2009)
Afghanistan [Source]
Military [Source]
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Comment by gregb98261 on Wed, 09/16/2009 at 8:08 am. ...both flags, the U.S. AND Virginia, are to be lowered to half staff, according to a directive from the Governor's office to all state agencies. Now, whether or not this is proper protocol, I can't say, but it seems to me that since this Patriot was serving on behalf of the United States, lowering the U.S. flag is quite appropriate.

Send Criss Angel to Afghanistan-- Hell Yeah !!

Should the subject of our candor change his name to Martin Luther C. Angel, jr.?
by Pat Darnangello and other Cynics

OORAHH !!
We said it before, and we will say it again .... others are noticing --

Criss Angel MindFreak is soooo compelling!!! They should send him to Iraq so he can use his magic to fight taliban and end world terrorism. Maybe he can listen to Korn and through his gift of magic end world hunger! O-M-G! he is the best there is! Criss Angel For President!!! YAYAYAYA! Not to mention his lisp is so shexy. Great show 5 stars! [Criss Angel: MindLisp -- John Plums]

F.A.Q.
If a person walks on water in a TV show, is he walking on water?
Should the subject of our candor change his name to Martin Luther C. Angel?

Is it fake or illusion ?? Why can't we send Criss Angel to the mid-East to train the troops to levitate, busk some card tricks on the streets of Baghdad, make it rain, then walk on water??? WHy Not? For the love of God -- Why the Hell Not???

Posted about 1 month ago -- To all the haters ::
Of course it's fake, so was all of Houdini's, David Copperfield and Penn & Tellers tricks. Magic is illusion not real.
I also had the opportunity to see Angel in Vegas and I assure you I was not part of a cherry picked audience. Also, he has a big ego because he's a stage performer people, all stage performers try to seem larger than life, it's part of the illusion. [cptnwinky]

Oh, thanks cptnwinky, I guess it has been a long war, and I get sort of tired of war.