US Commanding Officer in Afghan Theater Says we Need Less Drones

[warpedskydiver 0]

I follow what he was saying about civilian casualties but to say we need less drones is plain old stupid.

We cannot cover enough area with just our eyes, if there is a problem with drone attacks that just means we need to examine the choices made for going weapons hot.

To insist on less drones will embolden the enemy to use human shields to a greater extent by them hearing about these statements in the media.

Unless of course this is a plan to make them think we will be using less drones.


Marg, did you read this report?

[nerdgirl 0]

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Marg, did you read this report?

Do you mean GEN McChrystal's Assessment (link to 66 page UNCLASS pdf available through that story)? Or something else?

GEN David Barno, USA (ret) has argued in favor of UAVs, largely on counter-terrorism grounds.
David Kilcullen (former Australian Army & COIN guru) has argued against, largely on counter-insurgency grounds.
I can see both sides.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[warpedskydiver 0]

McChrystal

I see the need for drone to augment the boots on the ground.

Neither one can be eliminated nor reduced without a failure to employ good tactical sense.

[nerdgirl 0]

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McChrystal

Do you have a specific link or news report?

The COMISAF's Initial Assessment (aka GEN MCChrysal's report to SecDef) doesn't say anything specific either way ... there are a few places where I could squint and read something into if I really wanted to do so. But I'm generally not inclined to do so.

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[warpedskydiver 0]

I thought it was McChrysal that I heard speaking (radio news clip) when I was listening to the news while driving today.

[quade 4]

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Do you have a specific link or news report?

60 Minutes last night. As is often the case, once one of the heavy hitter legit news organizations covers a story, other hop on it.

quade -
The World's Most Boring Skydiver

[nerdgirl 0]

Quote

Quote

Do you have a specific link or news report?

60 Minutes last night. As is often the case, once one of the heavy hitter legit news organizations covers a story, other hop on it.

Thanks for the reference. I didn't see that/wasn't home last night. Will see if I can download it.

In general, I agree with GEN McChrystal's emphasis on counterinsurgency and population-centric approaches.

The call for more trooops is not a surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. GEN McChrystal is also not the first high-ranking military officer to do so. USMC GEN James Conway back in August said "There are over 11,000 Marines in Afghanistan, and I think we need more."

/Marg

Act as if everything you do matters, while laughing at yourself for thinking anything you do matters.
Tibetan Buddhist saying

[BikerBabe 0]

hehe i have mixed feelings about UAVs, all based on personal history.

On one hand, they do their jobs efficiently and well. Not to mention, they keep my husband employed!

On the other hand, having a pilot up there provides a level of judgment no drone will ever attain. (this is coming from my history as someone who worked on projects for the best plane in the AF inventory, the U-2 )

I am quite sure Gen. McChrysal was talking about the drones that are actually weaponized (the Predator B), rather than the recce UAVs that are out there. eyes in the sky is one thing, but turning those eyes into weapons is where the friendly fire/civilian casualties/etc comes in. No field commander that I EVER dealt with had anything but positive things to say about the reconnaissance-mission predators. Of course the irony is, putting Hellfire missiles onto Predator drones was an idea put forward and championed by, you guessed it, field commanders.

Never meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup!