What Happens In Vegas Happens In Afghanistan

theodp writes "After the morning commute from his Las Vegas apartment, Air Force captain Sam Nelson sits in a padded chair inside a low, tan building in Nevada, controlling a heavily armed drone aircraft soaring over Afghanistan, prepared to kill another human being 7,500 miles away if necessary. Welcome to the surreal world of drone pilots, who have a front-row seat on war from half a world away. 'On the drive out here, you get yourself ready to enter the compartment of your life that is flying combat,' explained retired Col. Chris Chambliss. 'And on the drive home, you get ready for that part of your life that's going to be the soccer game.' No wonder why the Air Force is interested in the Xbox LIVE crowd and the Army's opened a new arcade recruitment center!"

Comments

Re:Face-to-face combat

[Hurricane78]

One thing missing is the personal factor. Even if the man you happen to kill is a real Taliban whose goal it is to destroy your country... He still has a loving family. He still has a sweet daughter missing her daddy. He still has parents, family and friends. He still probably also did much good for them.

Things are not black and white. Without those mullahs he would probably be a random farmer or teacher for his town. And without the US and Russia wrecking his country for decades (remember, there was a time when Afghanistan had the best irrigation system in the world, and everything was green, with huge watermelons and birds), he would maybe not feel so bad to turn to god and the mullahs in anger.

Know your enemy. The best warriors never even start a war. They turn their enemies into friends. And sometimes they already are friends, if you take a real look.