3 ms·

I like how most comments here ignore that if the US military / intelligence apparatus simply stopped engaging in morally dubious or bankrupt operations, most pe

I like how most comments here ignore that if the US military / intelligence apparatus simply stopped engaging in morally dubious or bankrupt operations, most people would have no problem helping them create weapons. Would I create weapons if I knew they would only be used in defense or other highly ethical ways? Of course. But you’re kidding yourself if you think the current US military and its contractors won’t use those weapons to drone innocent people in Yemen and sell those weapons to countries like Saudi Arabia. This is a two sided debate but all I see here is people arguing whether tech workers should or should not care about personal politics. The other side is whether the US cares enough about having good technology that they’re willing to act more morally. Perhaps neglecting that possibility shows we don’t even think there’s a chance of that happening

jonnybgood 8y ago
> But you’re kidding yourself if you think the current US military and its contractors won’t use those weapons to drone innocent people in Yemen The US military actually doesn’t want that to happen. It invests huge amount of resources in developing processes and tech to minimize collateral damage and civilian deaths. Winning hearts and minds is just as important to the mission as dropping bombs on ISIS and Al Qeada.
- opportune 8y ago
  Even if the US military itself doesn't, the US has allies who don't seem to care as much about innocent people being hurt: https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/08/yemen-us-made-bombs-used-unlawful-airstrikes https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/08/yemen-us-made-bombs-used... That doesn't even touch on the fact that the US involves itself in many conflicts where the enemy combatants are pretty much "innocent" relative to the US, and continually approves arms sales to despotic dictators installed via US-backed regime change. A lot of the unethical actions of the US are outsourced

jonnybgood 8y ago

> But you’re kidding yourself if you think the current US military and its contractors won’t use those weapons to drone innocent people in Yemen The US military actually doesn’t want that to happen. It invests huge amount of resources in developing processes and tech to minimize collateral damage and civilian deaths. Winning hearts and minds is just as important to the mission as dropping bombs on ISIS and Al Qeada.

opportune 8y ago
Even if the US military itself doesn't, the US has allies who don't seem to care as much about innocent people being hurt: https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/08/yemen-us-made-bombs-used-unlawful-airstrikes https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/12/08/yemen-us-made-bombs-used... That doesn't even touch on the fact that the US involves itself in many conflicts where the enemy combatants are pretty much "innocent" relative to the US, and continually approves arms sales to despotic dictators installed via US-backed regime change. A lot of the unethical actions of the US are outsourced