Reports indicate that there is unacceptable conduct being displayed by many drone operators in the United States military. These professional drone fliers have a tendency to get high on drugs and alcohol, and they have some “creative” names when referring to young extremists. The reports come from serviceman turned whistleblower Michael Haas. At one point, Haas served as a senior airman in the United States Air Force.
When combating children who are part of various extremist groups, American drone operators reportedly often refer to these individuals as “fun-sized terrorists”. Whenever they kill one of these youngsters, they claim that they are “cutting the grass before it grows too long.
Haas also claims that drone operators often get high on the job. He says that the fliers frequently use bath salts and synthetic marijuana as means of still being able to pass drug tests. Many of these drone operators are reportedly high during their missions, including while they are actually flying the drones.
Drone Operators have stated that they use the drugs as a means of escaping their situation. They want to “bend reality” and picture themselves as not really being there.
The claims made by Haas are supported by former Air Force Staff Sgt. Brandon Bryant and former senior airmen Cian Westmoreland and Stephen Lewis. Bryant allegedly quit the Air Force after his supervisor told him that a small child that they killed was “just a dog”.
Bryant said, “We have seen the abuse firsthand, and we are horrified.”
These men also believe that drone assassinations have resulted in an increase in activity from the Islamic State. When drone operators kill innocent civilians, they fuel the hatred that is felt by millions of people in the Middle East.
From there, it’s no surprise that these people try to avenge their fallen friends and family members by joining terrorist organizations. As long as innocent people are unjustly killed by drone operations, groups like ISIS will continue to thrive because there will always be incoming support.
The whistleblowers have sent a letter to President Obama highlighting the wildly inappropriate behavior.
