[sam_paine]

In less than a year, the Air Force has brought into combat service its newest and most lethal unmanned aerial vehicle, the MQ-9 Reaper. A special squadron is simultaneously developing tactics, training flight crews, and operating the UAV in battle.

Another example of the side-effect of being in "the wrong war."

In peacetime, Generals' pet projects (Crusader artillery, etc) are funded. During a war, when troops are being "worn out" we're getting experience that can't be simulated and real-world battle-testing of weapons for the current and next war.

The russkies are flying 50 year old propaganda missions with empty bombers. Americans are flying 21st 'terminator' drones with hot weapons.

[Travis McGee]

These killer drones are terrific for fighting non-technological primitives.

They won’t be nearly as useful fighting a first world adversary.

As long as we are only facing insurgents and guerrillas, fine.