Drones as a Tool for the Patriot Act

Trey Smith

In my post from this morning, Cause and Effect, I discussed a column by David Sirota which points to the fact that there is a "cause and effect" implicit with drone warfare. On further contemplation, it dawned on me that our use of drones has another intended consequence that may not be readily apparent to most Americans: It provides our own leaders with the justification to curtail our freedoms and liberties to a severe extent.

The use of drones to murder faraway others creates blowback. While our leaders feign innocence in this knowledge, you can be damn sure they genuinely understand it. Since retaliation these days comes in unconventional forms -- like exploding bombs during a crowded athletic event -- no place in America can now be deemed "safe". Since retaliatory attacks will come in different forms at different times, it provides our leaders with the needed pretense to eviscerate what is left of the US Constitution!

Since it is hard to tell who the "enemies" are, our government must now treat every one of us as a potential threat. In their view, potential threats to public safety don't need or warrant constitutional protections. And so, ALL Americans -- accept for the wealthy elite, of course -- are now viewed as possible enemy combatants.

You see, the current administration is utilizing drones with a "killing two birds at once" approach. Not only can they keep to the schedule of perpetual war by creating far more enemies than they ever can possibly kill or maim, but by doing so, they create the atmosphere by which to protect us from the enemies they are creating by turning our nation into a police state since any one of us might be one of those enemies! All the while, they are robbing us blind.

You see, even if you happen to be a callous SOB who doesn't give a diddly squat about the lives of innocent people in faraway lands, you should still oppose the rise in our use of drone warfare out of your own self-interest. Those drones are being utilized as the unstated justification to take away YOUR rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.