Drones Are Ethical And Effective | Benjamin Wittes | Oxford Union
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- čas přidán 2. 05. 2013
- Benjamin Wittes gives his argument for the use of drone warfare.
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Benjamin says that there shouldn't be a debate over whether drones should be used in combat, as the answer is obvious. This is less of a debate over killing people but more about the use of an unmanned remotely piloted aircraft.
He says the benefits of having a drone is that they can provide surveillance on a target for long periods of time, something that a plane cannot do. Another benefit is choosing a time, based on video surveillance, for the strike to take place in order to minimise casualties in that area. The ability to harm enemy forces without putting your own at risk.
He mentions that the opposition will talk extensively about civilian casualties but says that with any weapon of war there is always a risk of civilians being caught in the crossfire. He concludes that in some cases the alternative to drones have more capacity to produce more civilian deaths than drones.
Filmed on Thursday 25th April 2013
MOTION: THIS HOUSE BELIEVES DRONE WARFARE IS ETHICAL AND EFFECTIVE
ABOUT BENJAMIN WITTES:
Benjamin Wittes is a Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at the Brookings Institution, where he is the Research Director in Public Law, and Co-Director of the Harvard Law School - Brookings Project on Law and Security. He works principally on issues related to American law and national security.
ABOUT THE OXFORD UNION SOCIETY:
The Union is the world's most prestigious debating society, with an unparalleled reputation for bringing international guests and speakers to Oxford. It has been established for 189 years, aiming to promote debate and discussion not just in Oxford University, but across the globe.
I so enjoy watching Oxford lectures.
I'm completely against the empirical Wars aggression. that being said I would also like to point out that I'm a former Marine infantry and we are more than happy to do anything that an armed drones is willing to do.
It seems to me that one thought behind the opposition to drones is the idea that it just isn't sporting. That it's basically unfair or ungentlemanly for one side to be able to kill without putting their own forces at risk. It's a ridiculous thought, but it's a thought that it out there.
Wittes tries to finesse the question by interpreting the resolution to mean only that drones are no less ethical than other forms of warfare (i.e., ignoring problems specific to the current use drones in Pakistan and Yemen). However there are indeed major ethical concerns with *any* use of attack drones. These include issues of proliferation and emulation by other countries, and the implications of killing by remote control.
So should we not have ICBM's or missiles of any kind ??
(3/3)“voting for anybody is a waste of time”
If you had a backbone you would get involved in politics and change the system for the better. The political systems of virtually all western countries are open and transparent. ANYONE can run for office and make a difference. My father was a university professor originally and then a CEO of a corporation before he became a politician. ANYONE can run for office and win, no “connections” are required, you can win even with a high school education.
Cannot wait... what will the laptop of Nancy Pelosi reveal ???
Ok my friend i can see that you that you are sincere in what you believe but i fear you have a lot to learn i would think you are very young but good luck....take a look at noam chomsky [how the world works] and you can see this is how its always been and always will be ....i dont care that these crooks want to get wealthy i care about innocent people dying and they always will until you and your kind wake up then as a united group it would change but hey dont hold your breath..good luck ...
(2/3)“but hey have a good life”
My life would be better if you people smarten up and instead of spewing hatred, instead try to get involved in your communities and governments and make a difference. I have a full time engineering job and I can still manage to campaign and raise money for causes I care about, cynical people like yourself just make excuses because it’s easier to be complain & do nothing.
2023...
Mr President?
Two things - Battlestar Galactica and Caprica
candian well you should know better..but hey have a good life ..and you should know that voting for anybody is a waste of time....
1. Suspect goes into a building. Drone hits building. 1 terrorist and 12 civilians becomes 13 terrorists in a sec.
2. = 1.
3. Better spending taxpayers money (giving it to the military industrial complex) than sacrificing their lives? Might be true.
"Civilian casualities... there are" meaning that it's better to have foreign civilians dead than US soilders. Very "humanitarian"! Use it for deffense only!
4. What "Humanitarian intervention"?! More like geopolitical and millitary. Or I missed out that they drop aids from drones?!
fantastically bad
No u.