Armed drones will soon fly in Libya in order to help enforce the no-fly zone in place there, the White House announced last week. Drones have been a controversial military weapon over the past few years, and a new study by the British Defense Ministry, believes new technologies, such as drones, may mean we resort to military conflict much sooner and easier than before. Are drones really a useful tool in military conflict or do they just serve to escalate the situation? Andrew Bacevich, professor of History and International Relations at Boston University, and the author of “Washington Rules: America’s Path to Permanent War,” says with precision weapons and air power more generally, unmanned aerial vehicles foster the illusion of armed force as a quick, easy, low-risk problem solver.
Kevin Gambold, is a former Royal Air Force Tornado pilot turned Predator/Reaper operator, and is now the director of operations for Unmanned Experts, a consultancy firm for unmanned aerial vehicles. He believes drones are a good thing.