Topic: Constitutional
These are not drones, they are "UAS" - Un-manned Aerial SYSTEMS.
They are remotely piloted military weapons systems. “Drone” is deliberately misused and conceals a great danger.
A drone is an autonomous craft that flies by a pre programmed computer course guided by GPS, they do not have pilots. Drones are commercially available at $10,000. Ive seen ads on line for them.
These craft being falsely called drones are Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) and have military pilots controlling them remotely. I was told this week that they also at times have pilots that are "contractors" flying these armed craft, and that means only one thing. CIA/NSA or some other Govt Agency. NO one turns such a weapons system over to a corporate contractor. At least not if they are in their right mind.
See the attached document from the Congressional Research Service, R42136 for the history of UAS development, and admission they are stealth craft. (attached)
UAV’s (un-manned aerial vehicles) are a sub-set of UAS and are MILITARY STEALTH AIRPLANES, invisible to radar systems managing commercial airliner traffic.
"Stealth" means three things:
1. fuselage and frame design that is low- observable to radar, meaning a low radar cross section, metal framework that is non- magnetic and special materials that absorb and scatter microwave energy. Radar is microwave energy. If the plane doesnt reflect it back, then the plane cannot be detected.
2. microwave comms subsystems for both 3-C (command, control and comms) and confusing ground based radar systems. These radar countermeasures send back false echo position signals that make the ground radar system think its somewhere its not.
3. 3-C systems that are sat based.
The only way to detect military stealth craft is by satellite. Part of the reason, then, that these UAS are so dangerous is that while a full size bomber or fighter such as the B-2 or F-117 can be detected with enough radar power, and they can confuse radar systems, these UAS are so small that the chance of detecting them even with high powered ground systems is very small.
One can be flown over an airport, crash into or attack a passenger jet and no one but the military or CIA will know 'who did it.'
Realize that the context of this weeks discussion about UAS is not military use, but in the discussion of appointing a CIA Director, and whether the POTUS and CIA will use them in America. "Military use of drones" is a false flag argument.
Not only can the attack be hidden behind stealth invisibility, but also behind military or Government secrecy.
The potential for misuse, to deliberately attack a commercial craft or other target, not be visible, then blame it on another actors such as 'Islamist terrorists' is immense.
The next Bradley Manning can decide, not to steal and disclose sensitive documents, but to blow up a plane or building and start the next 10 years of illegitimte war IN THE US. Manning had honorable intent in exposing corruption. The next time it might not be so honorable.
UAS are not needed for US surveillance, we have far more sophisticated satellite capacity than that, and have ground based, hand held equipment that can to that job. Technology existed in the late 1980s to see people through walls and doors with hand held cameras, I saw the camera, it was developed for the USAF in Ohio.
We do not need flying military systems for that. I can buy cameras from industrial sources for $ 5-10K that can see inside peoples houses. A flying military weapon is NOT needed for that.
US Law Enforcement has that technology already, they have no legitimate need for military weapons systems.
We have had sat technology since the 1970s that can see the patterns in material in clothing worn by a person on the ground FROM SPACE. That came first hand from an ex mil commander who saw the photos.
A UAS might be valuable for intel and recon overseas where we dont have as much sat capacity and its risky to fly over with a piloted craft, but those limitations do not exist in the US, its our sats and planes flying over our territory, so any argument that UAS are needed for intel is a bald faced lie.
A recent ruse is that UAS use will be safe as it will have a flight plan authorized. A UAS flight plan is irrelevant to safety, a plan does not tell where these stealth craft really are. Since they cannot be tracked by ordinary radar, they can be diverted from flight plan and back and no one will know it.
It is also a false narrative that UAS are needed to stop a terror attack. Terrorists do not phone ahead or publish their plans on-line. It is false that this is justified (killing US Citizens) to stop an attack, as that admits they know its going to happen, and have refused or failed to stop it.
Our Constitution, Bill of Rights and Laws do not permit Government to use the "end justifies the means" rationale to murder Citizens without Due Process. That is exactly what they want to do.
There is a story this week about a probable UAS being flown over an airport in Chicago:
http://www.myfoxchicago.com/story/18479251/predator-drone-seen-flying-over-elgin-nato-summit-security
Apparently the only way it was detected was that someone SAW IT. Had radar picked it up, it would have started a panic as a grave risk to commercial airspace.
Another was apparently seen over JFK:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/05/drone-in-nycs-jfk-airport_n_2811271.html
UAS are military killing machines with no legitimate use in the US.