Drone War

Innocent children are killed as collateral damage when drones drop bombs or shoot missiles to assassinate suspected terrorists. Most Americans approve of the use of this method of murder, 65% according to a recent Gallup poll.

According to the NY Times of April 8, 2013, “Since Mr. Obama took office, the C.I.A. and the military have killed about 3000 people in counterterrorist strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia, mostly using drones.” The times article points out that killing suspects is easier than capturing them and bringing them to trial. If one is captured on foreign soil there are political, legal and international complications for the U.S. to prosecute. The lives of American soldiers are less threatened when drones kill so-called terrorists.

There are all kinds of excuses for murdering people suspected of being terrorists. I am not immune from understanding the complexity of political problems and foreign relation entanglements. I am angered by the hypocrisy of American Christians who seldom criticize the policies of our government, the horrific use of our tax dollars, and moral cowardice. Many cry Christian, but forget to follow Jesus who urged love, forgiveness, compassion, peace, feeding the people, caring for the widows and orphans.

Church groups rail against the killing of innocent fetuses but are silent when our government shrugs when children are killed as a by-product of assassination by drones. Religious bodies spend fortunes fighting to curb the rights of LGBT human beings. They give no cry of compassion for mothers and fathers whose children have been dubbed collateral damage by the U.S. government propaganda. Atheists band together to assert their right not be harassed by religion and I don’t blame them. But they do not rail against government policies that kill innocent bystanders in Pakistan with drone bombers controlled by people in Los Angeles. The tea party want less government and taxes but supports huge budgets to kill people.

My critics will say, “Well, what is your plan Robert to end terrorism?” The answer is simple. Money. Send food, clothing and education to our enemies, among the poorest people on the planet; make oil companies and other non-native corporations and industries share more of their profits with indigenous people. Spend more money getting all sides to negotiate rather than kill. Spend more money educating Westerners to learn and understand the complexities of the tribal and religious life of agrarian cultures. Perhaps we can teach even our politicians to understand that you can’t make democracies where people don’t want them or even understand how they can work.  I dare say that would be a lot cheaper than financing the war machine that is doing a poor job of keeping the peace. It might even stop the murdering of innocent children.