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Reply To: What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of the use of UAV weaponry in the Near East? How do you think technological advancements will continue to shape warfare globally?

#5009
AvatarDavid Bainbridge
Participant

Alice, I think you make a good point about the emotional detachment with technology like UAVs. There seem to always be tradeoffs with these things. On the one hand, technology like UAVs makes it a lot easier to acquire intelligence and eliminate enemy operators. On the other hand, could the fact that someone sitting in a basement somewhere can eliminate people with the flip of a switch or the tap of a button desensitize the public (let alone those people) to the value of human life?

I am certainly for the advancement of technology in warfare, but it is definitely worth thinking about the consequences. Of course, at the very least as long as our enemies are pursuing technological advancements we have to. But, I do think your point is good and worth thinking about with respect to the resources of the countries that can actually produce technology like this. Does it create a scenario where wealthy countries can just dominate the poor countries with little to no effort, given the low human toll on the operator of the technology? One might say though, that wealthy countries dominating the weak is already the norm.