Actions speak louder than words

I was watching the Rachel Maddow Show the other night (my conservative friends are probably aghast – to them I say, try it! You may enjoy listening to someone who treats you like an intelligent person) and she had former Ambassador Richard Holbrooke on. They talked about the horrific flooding in Pakistan (image the East coast of the USA under water – from Georgia to New Hampshire).

Then they began talking about the drone attacks.

He is a Vietnam Veteran. He knows first-hand that war is hell. He has seen things that I am very grateful to not have ever seen. The precision with which the drones attack amazes him. He recognizes the lives that have been saved using drones. And he is right.

In a conflict, there is much going on and a pilot can be easily distracted. Collateral damage occurs. Having the pilot thousands of miles away enables them to focus on the task at hand and minimizes the mistakes, the collateral damage.

Ms. Maddow has a problem with this program. And rightly so.

As Americans, we learn from an early age about being innocent until proven guilty. About our rights to be tried by a jury of our peers. The right to a speedy trial. The right to know what we are being accused of. We value those rights and we send our men and women to fight and protect them.

The drone strikes enable us to be judge, jury and executioner in one precision hit. Our efficiency at killing has come at a cost. We have lost our way.

When we try to explain our values and beliefs, our enemies point to Guantanamo Bay. And the drone strikes. They see our actions. Our actions that speak louder than words.