Loading Missiles into Drones, America’s Bombing of Iraq Feels Like a Game

On Aug. 11, the American military once again performed an aerial strike on the Sunni Islamic extremist group ISIL in Iraq’s northern province. This is the fourth consecutive day. While they are destroying armed vehicles and recapturing areas held by extremists, it’s possible that the American military is once again using inhumane weapons for the purpose of slaughter. In this case, predator drones.

Military journalist Sera Mitsuhiro says, “The U.S. military had been operating unmanned aircraft for reconnaissance up until the Afghan war, but it evolved to using drones with two missiles on board in Pakistan and Yemen three years ago. Because these drones are controlled from Washington like a video game, there’s no need to risk American soldiers, as the drones can stay close to their targets and hit with very high certainty. However, in this way, sometimes civilians get caught in the explosions. There are increasing reports that [such off-target attacks] were the result of errors on the CIA’s part or target recognition errors on the drones’ part. Still the American military continues to increase usage of the drones, and in Iraq, it’s thought that they are using them for bombings.”

Two years ago, a female Pakistani high school student was killed in a drone strike. Since then, the estimated number of people killed in drone strikes has risen to 1,000. For President Obama, who ordered the bombings this week and has been criticized for enjoying golf on his two week summer break, this story is nothing unusual.