morning, a British soldier telling how he sits in a building in, I think, the Arazona desert and by remote control follows groups of people and if the seam suspect he zaps them. They cannot hear this device, it is silent. When I heard this I had to sit down I sat open mouthed for ages. Can anyone see any morality or honour in this? I, as I am sure most of us on here feel that bombs are the most evil and cowardly form of warfare but this!

I think that it has been around for a while, piecing together things I have heard in the past, so you probably know about it. Even so.

Why would a BRITISH soldier be in Arizona controlling bomb-laden UAVs?????

Don't ask me Angel. I have no idea. He was one of a handful, I believe, We are in Afghanistan too you know. So you do know about these things.

Yes, I know. But it seems strange that a BRITISH soldier would be at some base in Arizona controlling a bomb-laden Predator drone (or some other weapon).

Allied troops don't usually deploy to the USA, except for training, and even rarer (if ever) are they given "direct control" over weapons systems operated out of the United States.

Where did you hear this?

On BBC radio 4 which is the same as The World Program. I knew a Belgique soldier who was doing the same sort of thing. I really don't know. you will find it possibly on 'Today' radio 4 back date? it was only the other day but don't know which one. Someone at the door in a mo must go xxxx

Ft. Huachuca (pronounced Wachuka and is an Apache word meaning thunder), the place in question is replete with Coalition Forces training. We had Russian, Australian, Ukrainians and of course Brits training there.

I was teaching there just before coming to Iraq and my wife and family still reside in the sleepy little town next to Ft. Huachuca.

However (White Light) you can rest assured that your soldier isn't indiscriminately firing off bombs onto whatever target he likes from the UAV Predator. All targets have to be approved by a JAG legal team before firing.

No matter, the whole concept is abhorrent to me. xxx Such is life as we age. We are so shocked really that no-one seams to learn from the past. Any way can't hang around here chewing the cud with you lot. later. I am not judging anyone just saying how I see it.

Because the Brits are all over Indian Springs here in Nevada on the Drone project as well. Same as the Brits who are participating in the Subcritical experiments out at the NTS.

They are our partners.

The above ground test Ban? Forget it. Shrub has been busy and the Brits have been right there with us.

I think you would be surprised at the number of UN participants out here in the desert on various "projects".

Rep,

To hell with hearing this. Just visit Vegas you will meet it (if you are aware).

What concept? Brits in Arizona or blowing shit up? As stated before a target is engaged with a bomb from a predator it has to meet certain criteria and request of fire from the commander. It has to have two or more sources confirming it's validity and a target package is developed and approved by a JAG team. I'm pretty sure abu Musad al-Zarqawi didn't get permission from JAG before he hacked someones head off.

Predators are safer, cheaper and the pilots get to go home at night. Not that abhorrent to me, I wish I could go home tonight and sleep with my wife. Damn, I should have been a pilot.

I wasn't attacking "white light", just seemed odd.

But, your sources would be interesting as well, Helleva.

I knew you weren't attacking her Rep. I understand the incredulity of the news. Most folks don’t think about UN allied forces serving on local military bases and in other government projects. Happens all the time.

I suggest serching the press releases on the DOE/NNSA web site. That is the declassified info. I believe bechtel, Raytheon and Gen. Dyn. also have press releases on various joint projects. Then there is Eurosatory which just ended in Paris. That is the "toy" (and not sex toys btw) convention I just attended.

arguing with a soldier in the midst 'Yours is not to reason why' and all that. I do see, now that I have taken it in, that it is an antidote to suicide bombers and the rest. But my dear for those of us who are not in the middle of the horrors of war, those of us who have the lux of philosophising in the middle of the day, we are allowed to say it as we see it. I wish too that you were home in the bosom of your family and when you are again I will argue with you with pleasure.

Heleva, lovely Lady, I would love to be in Vegas right now looking at the under current.

Vegas is a lovely 113 degrees today. It is a dry heat. I was freezing my ass off all last week in Paris. That and it drizzled and the humidity was just peachy. /sarcasm

People watching is a sport in Vegas.

Back to the main topic, there has always been a philisophical disconnect on whether war should be sterile and remote or bloody and upfront. Either way, we do evolve more effective methods of killing each other.