<i>Okay, I'm not a pilot but I had to comment.</i>
<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>There is more to it than winning.
It is about creating roles and role models for future generations. Almost EVERYONE looks up to military pilots, and many people strive to make themselves better because of the naturally chivalrous, noble and patriotic symobls that military pilots stand as. Since the first days of flight and more importantly wartime flight the pilots were always looked up to as the cream of the crop, which they are. Not only do pilots have to be of stellar moral and ethical standards, but they must also be scholarly and in prime physical condition, exactly what this nation is based on and lives by. Very few strive to be basically video gamers piloting an intangiable plane from 100 miles away.<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica" size=2 id=quote>Okay, period, end of discussion, the reason for warfare is to PROTECT AND DEFEND both our people, our country, and our interests, or to eliminate a threat to the same. The purpose of <b><u>increased technology</u></b> in <u>any</u> aspect of warfare is twofold: 1) to increase the effectiveness of that protection and defense, and 2) to lower (if not eliminate) the friendly casualty rates.
If we can send up a squadron of UAV's for either recon or tactical/strategic bombing missions and keep the human lives safe behind a monitor, so be it.
If a fighter with a human pilot gets shot down, the pilot runs the risk of injury, capture, or even death. However, if a UAV is shot down, the "desk pilot" simply plugs into another UAV, takes off, and goes to toast the bastard that shot down his other plane. He doesn't have to worry about "living to fly another day".
I'm all for the heroics behind dogfighting and strategic, surgical missions conducted by courageous men and women with nerves of steel, but if we can get to the point that we're running unmanned flights <i>just as</i> successful (if not more) as those flown with real pilots <u><b>AND</b></u> we eliminate the fatality factor, why not?
Unless you're the one going up against SAM and AAA sites, not to mention the rarity of engaging in a missile-lock gunfight in the skies, I suggest looking at this from a different perspective. Your purpose in a battle is to kill the other a**hole before he kills you, not get your picture in a book next to Clint Eastwood and John Wayne.
“Democracy is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch. Liberty is a well-armed lamb contesting the vote.” Benjamin Franklin, 1759
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