How will history judge President Obama? He might have gone down in history as a president who promoted peace in the world, one whose foreign policy revived the art of diplomacy and negotiations to solve conflicts between nations. He could have proven, by his policies and actions, that he was deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize that he was awarded in 2009.
Sad to say, Mr. Obama has not, at this point in his presidency, taken the direction that would have assured him of a revered historical legacy. He has, rather, decided to use military power to pursue America's agenda in the world and, in doing so, he has embraced the use of remote controlled drones to enforce his policies. And, by these actions, history will record that he opened the era of drone wars on this planet; or, stated in other terms, he opened the door to a form of warfare that will be almost impossible to close.
Of course, many Americans will disagree with this conclusion. They like the idea that these remote controlled vehicles can be used to go after suspected enemies rather than risk the lives of U.S. troops. And they may be correct to a certain degree. But in their excitement over this high tech military weapon they are failing to see the bigger picture and the extreme danger that the proliferation of drones will bring to all the nations of the world.
Why is it that these drones present such a distinct danger to the world? The U.S. military has possessed and used weapons that are far more powerful and destructive than missile-equipped drones; nuclear devices, bunker-busting bombs, and stealth bombers come to mind. And many Americans will remember the "scorched earth" program that used lethal, deadly chemicals in Vietnam.
The destructive power of a drone is nothing compared to those weapons but here is exactly why drones pose a much greater and ominous threat to world peace and stability. They are relatively inexpensive to manufacture, the technology is easily obtained by friend or foe. At least 70 countries already possess some form of drones and many others are developing them.
As more and more countries amass their own fleets of drones the chances of confrontations between nations will greatly increase. Think of drones as sparks that will have the power to ignite military confrontations that could escalate into full blown wars. Drones could make diplomacy and negotiations between nations completely obsolete. A massive proliferation of them throughout the world could create a perpetual state of military conflicts and instability.
Just think of the dangers that American embassies and consulates and their employees around the world will face when those seeking revenge can so easily obtain these new, relatively inexpensive weapons of civilian destruction. Did President Obama think of that when he significantly expanded this deadly drone program? Did he give thought to the possibility that those who seek revenge against this country and government may someday use drones to attack targets in America?
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