General Discussion

BainsBane

(56,952 posts)

16. War is war

Fri Mar 8, 2013, 02:09 AM

Mar 2013

This is what I find a bit perplexing about the drone discussion. Drones are a tool of war, a weapon. It seems to me a key issue is whether the strikes (or war) is justified.
If it is not justified, no method of attack is acceptable. If it is justified, then the question arises as to whether drones are worse than other forms of attack. One of my concerns is that because drone attacks are seen as cowardly and unjust, they make be creating more enemies against the US than they take out.

The Civil War was the bloodiest in US history. I'm not sure if it matters how they died as much as the fact they died. Certainly poor whites born the overwhelming burden of defending the confederacy, and I don't see much honor in that.

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if abraham lincoln had a drone (i don't know with a time machine or whatever) [View all] arely staircase Mar 2013 OP

How do you bomb military leaders? BainsBane Mar 2013 #1

oh say a well placed drone fired missile into the south carolina capitol bldg arely staircase Mar 2013 #2

Why the South Carolina capitol? HoneychildMooseMoss Mar 2013 #14

i think the individual state governments that were in a state of rebellion retained arely staircase Mar 2013 #15

Would you have posed this question if Bush and not Obama was making the same claims re drones? MotherPetrie Mar 2013 #3

that isn't an option in my scenario arely staircase Mar 2013 #5

I wasn't referring to drones outside the U.S. MotherPetrie Mar 2013 #32

then in what context has president obama suggested using them other than that? arely staircase Mar 2013 #33

I Believe He Had a Right to Target Political Leaders On the Road Mar 2013 #4

would you limit political leaders to the executive branch? arely staircase Mar 2013 #6

I wouldn't. nt Comrade_McKenzie Mar 2013 #7

He probably wouldn't have used it against political leaders Prism Mar 2013 #8

but with lee, jackson, etc. arely staircase Mar 2013 #11

That's fair comment Prism Mar 2013 #18

War is war BainsBane Mar 2013 #16

I think our current drone discussion is quite peripheral Prism Mar 2013 #20

one thing is sure BainsBane Mar 2013 #21

I'm surprised more Democrats don't heed the obvious question Prism Mar 2013 #22

If Lincoln had a time machine and a drone? Check please NightWatcher Mar 2013 #9

well in real life, sure arely staircase Mar 2013 #12

Okay...I laughed out loud at that one! nt. OldDem2012 Mar 2013 #13

SAN DIMAS HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL RULES! WilliamPitt Mar 2013 #30

He did have a drone: Ulric Dhalgren. sofa king Mar 2013 #10

I think you mean moot point... octothorpe Mar 2013 #17

indeed i do arely staircase Mar 2013 #23

John Wilkes Booth was a drone and knocked off a political leader. Tierra_y_Libertad Mar 2013 #19

depends on which side you are on arely staircase Mar 2013 #24

The war was over. End of combat, end of story. nt DevonRex Mar 2013 #35

Of course treestar Mar 2013 #25

Pointless poll. Wars are fought within the current technological premises. redgreenandblue Mar 2013 #26

well yes it is a completely theoretical discussion arely staircase Mar 2013 #36

Assassination of leaders has existed as long as wars. It has always been of limited strategic value. redgreenandblue Mar 2013 #27

good point, aside from any ethical debate on the subject arely staircase Mar 2013 #37

I'm guessing you are trying to derive from this an argument in favor of redgreenandblue Mar 2013 #40

then you guess wrong arely staircase Mar 2013 #43

Si. graham4anything Mar 2013 #28

Funny you should put it that way... JHB Mar 2013 #29

We'd argue over the Ethics of using Whale Oil to power it. nt One_Life_To_Give Mar 2013 #31

no need. i'm assuming lincoln having drones means arely staircase Mar 2013 #38

He could use it on vampires Capt. Obvious Mar 2013 #34

not really arely staircase Mar 2013 #39

Since we are playing "a-historical what-if", here is how I think it would have played out: redgreenandblue Mar 2013 #41

...it would be cool if they put a big fuckin' hat on it. Warren DeMontague Mar 2013 #42

I voted just as you were editing to remove the poll. MineralMan Mar 2013 #44