Are Drone Strikes War Crimes?

[GreatOak]

Do you consider drone strikes against people, when we are not engaging official combatants of war, a war crime?

I consider them to be great tools but the way our government is using them can be described as human rights violations, especially since these people are often not given a proper trial.

I share the same sentiments of the video below, but I'd like to hear other inputs, especially those from outside of my country.

[ghostkitteh]

It depends on the situation. Using them against enemy combatants is fine, but if there is any collateral, or if they're used on our own citizens because "They're terrorists!" when they just said they didn't like capitalism, then yeah, it should be a war crime.

[roflmfao]

What happened to the good old days when you didn't care about war crimes? You went to war and either won or lost. People didn't lose and have the victors go in and rebuild thier country, the winners took thier shit.

IMO thats half the problem we have right now. If we would have went to Iraq, used the drones and our other resources, took thier shit and set up a wallmart we'd be payin a buck and a half for a gallon of gas.

[Poodles]

What happened to the good old days when you didn't care about war crimes? You went to war and either won or lost. People didn't lose and have the victors go in and rebuild thier country, the winners took thier shit.

IMO thats half the problem we have right now. If we would have went to Iraq, used the drones and our other resources, took thier shit and set up a wallmart we'd be payin a buck and a half for a gallon of gas.

Yep, instead we put kiddie gloves on our military and it puts them in harms way. We used to wage "total war" and now we're asking our military to be cops...

[Deleted]

What happened to the good old days when you didn't care about war crimes? You went to war and either won or lost. People didn't lose and have the victors go in and rebuild thier country, the winners took thier shit.

IMO thats half the problem we have right now. If we would have went to Iraq, used the drones and our other resources, took thier shit and set up a wallmart we'd be payin a buck and a half for a gallon of gas.

I am so glad people like you do not serve in my beloved Regiment. Even in war we must have standards, otherwise we are no better than animals.

[roflmfao]

I am so glad people like you do not serve in my beloved Regiment. Even in war we must have standards, otherwise we are no better than animals.

and war is not animalistic?

[Deleted]

If they use it on people they know 100% that are terrorists then I don't see a problem with it, but using it on civilians is just wrong.

[Deleted]

and war is not animalistic?

No, it really isn't. Individual battles are, the war overall is far from it. The higher up the military food chain you go the more "civilized" it is, you do not see generals screaming for blood and calling for us to "take their shit".

[Kasierith]

Is it any more of a war crime than using a bomber to drop bombs on people? In a legal sense, what is so special about it being done by an unmanned vehicle? I would maintain that the war crime would be specific acts used by drones, and not the use of drones itself.

[Dreknar20]

It depends on the situation. Using them against enemy combatants is fine, but if there is any collateral, or if they're used on our own citizens because "They're terrorists!" when they just said they didn't like capitalism, then yeah, it should be a war crime.

Its impossible to stop collateral dmg

Fighting will always take place near cities and towns

[roflmfao]

Your absolutely correct, however our country is trillions of dollars in debt and part of that is not only from wars we get involved in, but also from rebuilding after we have said wars. These wars cost our society tax dollars and more importantly the lives of our children and friends. This is all based on the "civilized" peoples decision. There is nothing civilized about that. Wars may or may not have a just cause, but for the burdens they impose on society there should be some rewards to make it worth while and thus I say "to the victors go the spoils"

[Aeluron Lightsong]

Your absolutely correct, however our country is trillions of dollars in debt and part of that is not only from wars we get involved in, but also from rebuilding after we have said wars. These wars cost our society tax dollars and more importantly the lives of our children and friends. This is all based on the "civilized" peoples decision. There is nothing civilized about that. Wars may or may not have a just cause, but for the burdens they impose on society there should be some rewards to make it worth while and thus I say "to the victors go the spoils"

I'm not sure weather to facepalm or smack you.

[GreatOak]

Is it any more of a war crime than using a bomber to drop bombs on people? In a legal sense, what is so special about it being done by an unmanned vehicle? I would maintain that the war crime would be specific acts used by drones, and not the use of drones itself.

That's really what I was getting at. The way my government uses drones is sometimes illegal and often immoral.

[Mormolyce]

What happened to the good old days when you didn't care about war crimes? You went to war and either won or lost. People didn't lose and have the victors go in and rebuild thier country, the winners took thier shit.

I dunno, it stopped being the Dark Ages?

You can always go live in the Middle East or Africa if you dislike civilisation.

[vindicatorx]

Well to the op and the guy in the video I'm sure if you would like we can get a plane rounded up and have you two over there in person if you would prefer. Honestly I have no issue with the drone usage. How many civilians have been killed due to suicide bombings? They kill their own people with no regard and the cry outrage when we kill a few and we are supposed to feel bad? Sorry but no, while I don't personally feel we should be involved drones are fine with me.

[Deleted]

Your absolutely correct, however our country is trillions of dollars in debt and part of that is not only from wars we get involved in, but also from rebuilding after we have said wars. These wars cost our society tax dollars and more importantly the lives of our children and friends. This is all based on the "civilized" peoples decision. There is nothing civilized about that. Wars may or may not have a just cause, but for the burdens they impose on society there should be some rewards to make it worth while and thus I say "to the victors go the spoils"

If you invade a country using lies and bullshit as an excuse, the least you can do is tidy up your mess afterwards.

[Kasierith]

That's really what I was getting at. The way my government uses drones is sometimes illegal and often immoral.

There are a number of actions taken by the US that could easily be considered war crimes, if looked at by deed only. But for most that I have seen, it has come down to a crucial difference between that and the war crimes put forward at, say, the Hague: the intention to do it. If the US bombs a group that they believe are terrorists, and it turns out later that it was faulty information and there were civilians, than I would not consider this a war crime. I would consider it a despicable deed, and an instance where the military showed themselves to be completely incompetent, but I doubt that, given the knowledge, they would have done such things.

[GreatOak]

Well to the op and the guy in the video I'm sure if you would like we can get a plane rounded up and have you two over there in person if you would prefer. Honestly I have no issue with the drone usage. How many civilians have been killed due to suicide bombings? They kill their own people with no regard and the cry outrage when we kill a few and we are supposed to feel bad? Sorry but no, while I don't personally feel we should be involved drones are fine with me.

Or we could stop nation building in the first place and mind our own fucking business unless there is an imminent threat or one of our important allies are attacked?

[smelltheglove]

very gray area imo. i am absolutely certain that it is abused, and will always be abused, and will get worse as more countries acquire the tech. problem is, actual terrorists do in fact hide behind innocents. they are illegal combatants that wont face troops on a battlefield, wear a uniform to designate themselves as combatants, follow the rules militaries are held to, etc. how does one fight that in a normal context? how does one come up with acceptable rules of engagement? all of the "bring them to trial" and geneva convention stuff is great, in fact i support those things strongly. it's just that there is a point where those kind of shackles become a suicide pact. imo drones are the best we have right now for a problem with no true solution

[roflmfao]

If you invade a country using lies and bullshit as an excuse, the least you can do is tidy up your mess afterwards.

True, but lets say we were justified going after Bin Laden (which we were) and seeking revenge on the Twin towers. I don't see them paying to rebuild the buildings, but we are fixing thier country? Can you see a problem there?