Drones 101: brought to us by AFSC

Written on: July 14, 2014

Thanks to Sister Dolores O’Dowd for sharing this information on drones from the American Friends Service Committee. The Quakers are dedicated nonviolent activists and thoroughly study the issues they address. We hope you take the time to watch this video on drones.We think you will find it an excellent source of information.  Consider visiting their webpage,  to learn more. 

Pace e bene,

Sister Diane

Thank you for taking actions over the last several months to end the President’s blank check for war, and for speaking against the quick move to military action in the recent Iraq crisis. Repealing the 2001 AUMF and eliminating OCO funding will make it harder to resort to force.

Another aspect of the blank check for war is the use of militarized drones for bombing, spying and target spotting that has become a multi-billion dollar industry and the cornerstone of the global war on terror. Thousands of people have lost their lives in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia. Grave moral and legal questions have gone unanswered due to the extreme secrecy that surrounds the program.

While the land wars are starting to end, a covert war continues. It is happening through the arming and training of militia and government forces, through large-scale arms transfers, funding of proxy armies and targeted killings by armed drones.

None of these actions will help create the conditions for lasting peace.

We have created a couple of resources – a video and a briefing paper – showing the impact of the Authorization for Use of Military Force on drone proliferation and the threats that drones represent.

Drones 101 is an animated presentation for educators and activists. It outlines the evolution of the U.S. drone program, explains who it targets and how, and surveys the countries where drones are being used.

While you are using these resources, we continue to monitor the state of the AUMF as it moves to the Senate over the summer. Now, as there’s a pause in the debate around AUMF and Pentagon funding, it’s a good moment to take a deep look at how the U.S. is using drones and where the drone program is heading. We hope you find the animated video useful and share it with your friends.

In peace,

Mary Zerkel and Peter Lems

This entry was posted in With a Heart for Justice and tagged: AFSC, American Friends Service Committee, Authorization for Use of Military Force, Drones