DRONES ARE OUR FRIENDS, RIGHT?

I Thought They Were Toys

David Barnhizer

I didn’t plan on writing this note but something very strange is going on and our governmental leaders are either flat out lying to us or unbelievably inadequate.

Something my son Daniel and I raised in our 2019 book, The Artificial Intelligence Contagion: Can Democracy Withstand the Imminent Transformation of Work, Wealth and the Social Order? was that widely available drone technology represented an incredibly stupid mechanism that created an “air force” for some really bad actors. It has been bad enough to have continual scams and invasions of privacy as the commercial and political drones float overhead and the Internet’s systems are corrupted. These commercial and governmental intrusions have torn the heart of the Rule of Law and interpersonal trust apart. That is awful, but it is not even the worst of what we face.

The reality we are experiencing, as the technological distribution of capability evolved from consumer “hobby drones” to surveillance and attack drones with an amazing range of potential applications, is that we have engaged in one of the dumbest undertakings in out history. Air power is absolutely critical in attack, and we witnessed this at Pearl Harbor and its thousands of deaths. The unbelievable challenge is that by providing America’s enemies with an aerial system of attack, even as we have assisted its evolution we have provided our enemies with an “air force”. Consider for a moment what the situation would have been if Japan and Hitler had the intrusive delivery and surveillance capabilities the supposedly unknown “East Coast Droners” now possess.

I don’t even make the claim that the actors who are floating “invisible” drones along the East Coast are terrorists. They may well be “foreign actors” or terrorists. One concerning fact is that we apparently have no idea, and when questioned the Administration spokesperson states “we have no evidence”. That statement, by an Administration leader who is responsible for “having evidence” is stunning.

What I say with total conviction is that allowing civilians access to this free wheeling, multi-purposed drone technology is insane. To allow the “really bad guys” the ability to deliver targeted attacks on vital infrastructure, deliver explosive devices on essential targets, have the capability to saturate areas with radioactive and viral substances capable of spreading diseases and other poisons widely into critical supply and eco-systems, is not really a great idea. It is stunning that our intelligence experts, strategic analysts, military leaders, and even reasonably intelligent political leaders don’t somehow “get the message”.

Everyone compartmentalizes. If something does not fit into your neat “conceptual box” it is someone else’s bailiwick. “It wasn’t my fault” as the FBI, CIA, DOD and other analysts might predictably respond after Newark is infected with a deadly plague. Or the classic “Who could have known” that New York City would descend into an total almost cannibalistic chaos when food and water supplies were depleted after only four days simply doesn’t work in a world where the warnings do exist yet plans, strategies, and effective actions are ignored.

One of my areas of specialization is strategic analysis. It would be wrong to say that my “hero” is Sun Tzu and the clear learnings offered in his Art of War. But one message is that the wise general takes great pains to uncover the weaknesses of his enemy. Surveillance is critical. Secrecy about manuring, intent and placement of your forces is central. Ultimately attacking the opponent at the nodes of greatest weakness is what wins the struggle. Obtaining the essential strategic information in ways that the enemy fails to understand or appreciate leads to victory. Welcome to a world in which the targeted “enemy” is led by people who say “there is no evidence” is one in which you are not prepared for what could or will occur.

My point is simple. I do not want to hear people who proclaim expertise fall back on lame excuses after their inadequacy facilitates tragic consequences for innocent people. Nor is it simply a matter of “after the fact” accountability which is of course lacking. This is a challenge to “get things right”. Deal with what what is obvious—even to me and many others—and recognize that we are in an era in which the people in charge had better start working together and “getting things right”.They are not doing their jobs due to a lack of understanding or merit and we really need to fix the social tragedy that is evolving .