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The US isn't concerned with civilian casualties. Of course, it wouldn't go out of its way to inflict them, but it simply pays no regard to them, no matter what

by wz1000 10y ago

The US isn't concerned with civilian casualties. Of course, it wouldn't go out of its way to inflict them, but it simply pays no regard to them, no matter what their scale. Look at US actions in Laos, Cambodia, and Libya for direct instances of this, where hundreds of thousands of people were killed because of US actions.

praxulus 10y ago
Yes, that explains why we carpet bombed cities in Iraq and Afghanistan to pacify them instead of sending soldiers to door to door.
- wz1000 10y ago
  Iraq has assets important to the functioning of the US and world economy. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan was also the first time there were major anti-war protests before US entry since WW1 If you want to talk about carpet bombing, look at what was done in the "Secret War" against approximately 5000 communist guerillas in Laos http://i.imgur.com/wxYiyO0.gifv http://i.imgur.com/wxYiyO0.gifv https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War > US. aircraft dropped more ordnance on Laos than on all countries during World War II, leaving Laos with about 78 million pieces of UXO by the end of the war.[96] > UXO remains dangerous to persons coming in contact, purposefully or accidentally, with bombs. Casualties in Laos from UXO are estimated at 12,000 since 1973. Thirty-three years after the last bomb was dropped and after decades of UXO clearance programs, 59 people were known to have been killed or injured by UXO in 2006.[97] So abundant are the remnants of bombs on the Plain of Jars that the collection and sale of scrap metal from bombs has been a major industry since the Civil War.[98] About 300 Laotians are killed or injured per year by UXO
vinceguidry 10y ago
One could argue that the US has put a great deal of time, effort and R&D into saving civilian lives, through the drone program itself. The alternative to the drone program is a traditional military occupation, which would presumably have a much greater death toll, I don't have access to the research. Or, of course, simply not fighting the war at all. But it doesn't seem like that option is available.
- baursak 10y ago
  Civilian lives? A more persuasive argument is that primarily it's a tool to be used when popular opinion at home would simply not allow another full-scale military adventure like Iraq or Afghanistan. Secondary consideration is saving US military lives. Foreign civilian lives is by far not the primary concern.
- willhslade 10y ago
  Uh, what? Drone strike target to civilian ratio is over 90%. The reason, and the only reason that the US went to drones is to reduce the cost of operations, with the additional benefit of reducing danger to US personnel. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/24/-sp-us-drone-strikes-kill-1147 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/24/-sp-us-drone...

by wz1000 10y ago

praxulus 10y ago

Yes, that explains why we carpet bombed cities in Iraq and Afghanistan to pacify them instead of sending soldiers to door to door.

wz1000 10y ago
Iraq has assets important to the functioning of the US and world economy. The war in Iraq and Afghanistan was also the first time there were major anti-war protests before US entry since WW1 If you want to talk about carpet bombing, look at what was done in the "Secret War" against approximately 5000 communist guerillas in Laos http://i.imgur.com/wxYiyO0.gifv http://i.imgur.com/wxYiyO0.gifv https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laotian_Civil_War > US. aircraft dropped more ordnance on Laos than on all countries during World War II, leaving Laos with about 78 million pieces of UXO by the end of the war.[96] > UXO remains dangerous to persons coming in contact, purposefully or accidentally, with bombs. Casualties in Laos from UXO are estimated at 12,000 since 1973. Thirty-three years after the last bomb was dropped and after decades of UXO clearance programs, 59 people were known to have been killed or injured by UXO in 2006.[97] So abundant are the remnants of bombs on the Plain of Jars that the collection and sale of scrap metal from bombs has been a major industry since the Civil War.[98] About 300 Laotians are killed or injured per year by UXO

vinceguidry 10y ago

One could argue that the US has put a great deal of time, effort and R&D into saving civilian lives, through the drone program itself. The alternative to the drone program is a traditional military occupation, which would presumably have a much greater death toll, I don't have access to the research. Or, of course, simply not fighting the war at all. But it doesn't seem like that option is available.

baursak 10y ago
Civilian lives? A more persuasive argument is that primarily it's a tool to be used when popular opinion at home would simply not allow another full-scale military adventure like Iraq or Afghanistan. Secondary consideration is saving US military lives. Foreign civilian lives is by far not the primary concern.
willhslade 10y ago
Uh, what? Drone strike target to civilian ratio is over 90%. The reason, and the only reason that the US went to drones is to reduce the cost of operations, with the additional benefit of reducing danger to US personnel. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/24/-sp-us-drone-strikes-kill-1147 https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2014/nov/24/-sp-us-drone...