“Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and the effects they provide have emerged as one of the most "in demand" capabilities the USAF provides the Joint Force. The attributes of persistence, endurance, efficiency, and connectivity are proven force multipliers across the spectrum of global Joint military operations.”

USAF UAS FLIGHT PLAN 2009-2047

Don't get me wrong, I am not in favor of “Manned Aircraft Systems” raining down bombs on civilians, but the idea of Murder by Joystick with the “Unmanned Aircraft Systems” (UAS,) is especially sickening to me.

UAS, more commonly known as “drones,” are controlled from thousands of miles away and are increasingly becoming the new wave of the Air Force. The Air Force was recently devastated by Congress cutting off funding for the obsolete F22 fighter jet and is very excited about robot killers.

Even the names of drones are monstrous, such as: Predator and Reaper:. The Grim Repear drone, choosing who lives or who dies from an air conditioned bunker at Creach Air Force base thousands of miles away from the bombing site:

Thousands of miles away from the carnage;

Thousands of miles away from the screaming and dying;

Light years away from morality and compassion.

With reports stating that, from the top down, the US military is filled with Christian zealots, I wonder who "authorizes" Murder by Joystick? Does the 6^th Commandment say: “Thou shalt not murder; unless you can pretend you're playing a video game?” The mass murder of the 21^st century couldn't have been even remotely conceived of a few millennia ago.

War has become more deadly to persons but increasingly more depersonalized. Today, needless civilian deaths outweigh unnecessary military deaths by a 5 to 1 ratio, but are still referred to as: “Collateral damage.” Our military has become even further depersonalized by the utilization of paid mercenaries.

The Pentagon recently confirmed that even though US troops are moving out of Iraq, they will be replaced, sometimes by a two to one ratio by mercenaries from such places as Uganda. This jaded nation of ours barely cares about the soldiers that are dying, how much less will we care about foreign paid mercenary killers and whether they have the right equipment or not?

"Slay-station's" Murder by Joystick is just further moral bankruptcy from the Military Industrial Complex that, according to the above referenced report, is looking forward to a day when drones using artificial intelligence will carry nuclear weapons and won't need direction from humans.

2047 is the target date for Armageddon by UAS.

Join SF Bay Area CODEPINK and me as we protest the profoundly evil use of drones at Creach Air force Base in Nevada next week.

For more info click on this link.

Author's Bio: Cindy Sheehan is the mother of Spc. Casey Austin Sheehan, who was KIA in Iraq on 04/04/04. She is a co-founder and President of Gold Star Families for Peace and the author of two books: Not One More Mother's Child and Dear President Bush.

www.opednews.com/articles/Murder-by-Joystick-by-Cindy-Sheehan-090923-376.html