There have been several US Air Force drone operators who have blown the whistle on what they say is a corrupt and counterproductive foreign policy.

A couple of years ago, four of them made headlines when they called out the current drone program; suggesting that it accounted to little more than indiscriminate murder.

In an open letter they wrote,

"We came to the realization that the innocent civilians we were killing only fueled the feelings of hatred that ignited terrorism and groups like ISIS, while also serving as a fundamental recruiting tool similar to Guantanamo Bay. This administration and its predecessors have built a drone program that is one of the most devastating driving forces for terrorism and destabilization around the world.”

Those 4 individuals were Brandon Bryant, Cian Wstmoreland, Stephen Lewis, and Michael Haas.

Not long after they made headlines for their controversial statements, their attorney tweeted out that they had their bank accounts frozen. Many suspected that this was some sort of retaliation for them having gone public with their criticism on the growing dependence that the US military places on drone technology. But it looks like they didn't let that stop them, since some have still been pushing to bring attention to the problems surrounding drone warfare for years now.

And they aren't the only ones who have spoken out about the misguided foreign policy approach, suggesting that it is causing more harm than any good. When the drone program is killing innocent people it is going to fuel blow-back and it is going to fuel exactly what the program suggests it is trying to extinguish—terror.

Bryant is still active in voicing his discontent with the current state of affairs.

Bryant worked as a drone operator for several years and recounts various experiences that didn't sit well with him and eventually contributed to his overall disdain for the drone program.

One one occasion he described a scenario where he was instructed to murder certain targets overseas, told that they were reinforcements who were intending to join a terror group. Though, after he fired he admits that he believes that likely wasn't the truth. Another time he describes how he was instructed to fire on what he was told were men carrying weapons, only after observing them for some time he again admits that he didn't believe that was the truth of the matter. After he fired, he noted that there wasn't any secondary explosion and that this further supported his belief that he wasn't told the truth.

In 2017, the use of drone strikes reportedly grew more than 400 percent

Just a few days ago, Bryant was again active in publicly voicing his concern for the ongoing drone program and for the current administration. His previous letter that he signed with other drone pilots had been directed at the former administration, but he admits that this current administration isn't any better because they too have embraced the drone program.

Bryant suggested during his RT interview recently that drone program only fuels an endless cycle of violence and that it helps terror groups to further recruit because of the innocent people that are murdered as a result of the program.

Bryant admitted that hardly anyone ever questions the information that they are given on which targets to strike. The various agencies that are involved in working behind the scenes aren't effective in connecting all of the pieces together, as Bryant puts it, and that could be why there is critical knowledge missing at times.

Drone operators simply pull the trigger and he admits that they don't interact with the supposed intelligence information that has led to the selection of which target they are told to go after. And because of this arrangement, it reduces the individual responsibility in the matter and no one seems to be held accountable for the wrongdoing.

The current interventionist foreign policy that the US operates with is destructive for the people in a myriad of ways and there are a variety of costs that come along with it. However, you will always face push-back and fear from those who prefer (and whose livelihood depends upon) never-ending war.

Inevitably, you will get some people who will always promote war. And unfortunately this small few are highly influential in Washington, despite the average person wanting the fighting to come to an end.

I think, people who want to be violent they just want to be violent, they are just stupid. You know, any idiot can kill another idiot. It takes a better person to stop hurting another person ‘cause that’s where love and kindness come in.....It’s easy to be kind and loving to someone who’s kind and loving to you. But it really takes something special and a lot of effort to give that to people who, you thin, are not worth it. - says Bryant.

Pics:
Pixabay

Sources:
http://thewashingtonstandard.com/air-force-drone-pilots-expose-us-govt-murder-have-bank-accounts-credit-cards-frozen-by-feds/
https://theintercept.com/2015/11/19/former-drone-operators-say-they-were-horrified-by-cruelty-of-assassination-program/
https://www.rt.com/shows/sophieco/427065-military-drone-operator-experience/
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/18/life-as-a-drone-pilot-creech-air-force-base-nevada
http://www.abc.net.au/triplej/programs/hack/whistleblowers-expose-drone-warfare/7666542

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