FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT - REQUEST TO THE MOD ABOUT DRONE STRIKES

Clearly there comes a time when all this transparency stuff surrounding the use of specific weapons in warfare has to be balanced carefully, with not assisting the known enemy, by disclosing too much or say nothing at all.

This is quite an interesting case that has just gone through the UK courts, raised by individuals who wanted to know how many drone strikes occurred and from where the unmanned drones were operating from for clearly their own business motives, and clearly the reluctance of the Ministry of Defence to disclose facts that could cost soldiers their lives.................but then to put it into the public domain........is like" shooting oneself in the foot "

http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKFTT.../2016_0290.pdf

Well if they are so interested in the drone strikes why not pack them off to the front line where they can do their investigating about them without compromising the safety of the soldiers whom are deployed there, hopefully they will get the drift when the lead starts flying that its not a safe place to be and take their slide rules and the want to make money schemes back home.

Greed has no boundaries... :thdown:

The Judge makes reference to the RAF Lancaster Bombers over Berlin and the bombing raids of WW2 and what to tell the public etc as a comparison................I am so glad common sense came through and the case was dismissed.

I agree that the guy shouldn't be given access to the information, but want to point out that the organisation is a NGO so is (supposed to be) not for profit... so his actions theoretically aren't "business" motivated.

From a quick look at the website he might be a anti drone advocate. so politically motivated, yes.

I know it is basically semantics, but i think when dealing with f-wits, it is important to give them no obvious errors to attack your point of view from.

I think that there is a certain amount of misunderstanding amongst the "general public" about what Reaper aircraft/drones can and can't do. Some people seem to think that the aircraft just flies it's self to a target, makes it's own mind up on which target to attack and then deploys a weapon of it's own choice. I try to explain to people that they are just like a normal aircraft, they still have a pilot and someone to deploy the weapons, the only difference is that they are not actually sitting in the aircraft and that the aircraft is operated remotely.

.....................difficult decisions called on talented individuals, often thousands of miles away, with even more difficult decisions to make in pulling the trigger when its needed, to save the lives ultimately on the ground.