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Ben Stansall / AFP - Getty Images, file
A Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft at the Farnborough International Airshow in Hampshire, southern England, on July 22, 2010.
WASHINGTON -- As many as 66 countries would be eligible to buy U.S. drones under new Defense Department guidelines but Congress and the State Department, which have a final say, have not yet opened the spigots for exports, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday.
The 66 countries were listed in a Defense Department policy worked out last year to clear the way for wider overseas sales of unmanned aerial systems, as the Pentagon calls such drones, said Richard Genaille, deputy director of the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency. He did not name them.
"We don't really have a comprehensive U.S. government policy" on such exports, he told an industry conference called ComDef 2012. "It hasn't moved quite as fast as we would like, but we're not giving up."
NYT: US arms sales make up most of global market
Northrop Grumman Corp chief executive Wes Bush on Wednesday praised the Obama administration for what he described as significant moves to boost arms exports, but voiced frustration at delays in codifying them in a new export policy.
"I wish we were further along in getting that done. It's slow, it's painful, but we're doing the right things to move in that direction," Bush told Reuters.
Panetta: Military cuts to hit 'all 50 states'
U.S. arms makers are looking abroad to help offset Pentagon spending cuts spurred by U.S. deficit-reduction requirements.
Northrop Grumman's ability to boost its overseas arms sales, which now account for less than 10 percent of its overall revenues, hinges largely on streamlined export controls, Bush said.
Counterterrorism advisor Jon Brennan outlined the use of drones, arguing that it's legal and has reduced the ability of al-Qaida to attack the U.S. NBC News investigative reporter Bob Windrem and The National Journal's Yochi Dreazen discuss.
Complex web of regulations
U.S. defense and high-technology exporters have long complained about the complex web of regulations governing exports of weapons and "dual-use" goods that have both civilian and military applications. They believe the rules disadvantage them versus foreign competitors.
Of particular concern to Northrop Grumman are restrictions on exports such as the company's high-altitude Global Hawk surveillance planes.
The New York Times' Elisabeth Bumiller recently reported on the individuals responsible for flying drone planes, traveling to Hancock Field Air National Guard Base near Syracuse, New York to speak with pilots flying drones in Afghanistan.
The administration last year began informally consulting Congress on plans to sell Global Hawk to South Korea before withdrawing the proposed sale for reasons that have not been publicly disclosed.
Japan, Singapore and Australia also have shown interest in acquiring the aircraft, a Northrop Grumman spokeswoman told Reuters last year.
Bush said that failure to allow such exports could spark a repeat of the 1990s, when strict curbs on U.S. commercial satellite sales prompted other countries to develop rival hardware and software. Those efforts eventually eroded the market share of U.S. satellite producers from more than 70 percent to just around 25 percent.
New Navy fighter drone promises pilotless future
"The consequences of the decisions that were made in the early '90s were devastating for the US industrial base, and ultimately did nothing to enhance security, and in fact, were detrimental to our security," he said.
Overhaul of munitions list
The Obama administration, over the objections of some Republicans in Congress, is aiming to create a single list of items subject to export controls overseen by a single licensing agency, instead of the two separate lists now administered by the State Department and the Commerce Department.
Report: Obama embraces disputed definition of 'civilian' in drone wars
Jim Hursch, director of the Defense Department's Defense Technology Security Administration, speaking at the ComDef event, said the administration was well into the overhaul but still had significant work to do.
Government agencies, as interim steps toward creating the single unified list, have worked their way through the 21 categories of the U.S. Munitions List administered by the State Department to see what items can be moved to the Commerce Department's Commercial List, Hursch said.
"We'll see what happens in November and what the victors of that election want to do to move forward on that," Hursch said.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta says if budget cuts hit the Department of Defense, it will be disastrous. Pentagon Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs George Little joins MSNBC's Chris Jansing to discuss.
Beth McCormick, deputy assistant secretary for defense trade and regional security, said she hoped the reforms would continue whether President Barack Obama is reelected on November 6 or Republican challenger Mitt Romney.
"Regardless of what happens in November, we should continue this work and bring it closure," McCormick said.
The Obama administration has already put proposed revisions to nine categories of the munitions lists out for public comment and faces some hard decisions moving ahead.
'Covert' US drone operation is mapped on Twitter
"There are some categories that by their basic nature are very, very difficult," including one that encompasses both night-vision technology and fire control, she said.
In deciding what items to move to the commercial list, "we obviously have to think about the type of technology that we use on the battlefield, where obviously the control of the night has been something that's been very, very important to us," McCormick said.
Kevin Wolf, assistant secretary of Commerce for export administration, said moving an item from the munitions list to the commercial list did not mean it was "decontrolled."
It does give the U.S. government more flexibility in allowing exports to close allies, while maintaining a strict arms embargo on other countries such as China, he said.
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Leave a Comment:
I'm OK with selling this technology to other countries as long as the Defense Dept has a back door way to override control of the drone should it fall into the wrong hands.
History shows that politics change in nations over time and our "friends" today may not be that in the future.
Another concern is a foreign Govt creating a "false flag" incident to get us dragged into a conflict we do not want to be in. Imagine if we sold a couple to a currently friendly middle east country and they painted them up with USA colors and ID then flew them into another country causing a declaration of war.
Sound far fetched? Maybe, but not a chance we should leave up to others.
I am by no way an expert on drones and I believe the one they are talking about exporting is for surveillance only, but how hard is it to put explosives on one of these and fly it into another country's capital?
Since fewer than 66 countries are our friends worldwide, wouldn't such a sale come back to haunt us? But then again, this is America where everything is for sale.
Speaking of back door overrides. I wonder if all the Chinese computer parts in our USA Weapons have back doors. I'm pretty sure I read an article 2 years ago saying the US has already found spyware/viruses in Chinese computer hardware.
We need jobs but we buy everything from the berets on our soldiers heads to the flags that drape their coffins in China. Thank you US Politicians and Traitors like Mitt Romney who made their millions by sending our good jobs overseas for slave labor. Now I know what the New World Order is they keep talking about. The order is first the haves and then the have nots.
Ophotfoot
Thank you !
You have hit on a point that I have been trying to hammer home now for some time . That being the fact , that all of our good jobs have been outsourced. You also hit on quality control issues within those products we buy from overseas. I too have heard the story about Chinese computer hardware issues. When will our government learn that somethings should just not to made overseas ????
Is that a drip pan under the nose?
I don't really know what to think about this. I've heard about drones for a while now, but I'm definitely hoping the pros heavily outweigh the cons. Perhaps after learning more in depth about them, we can be more satisfied with the existence of drones, but for me, it sounds a little invasive and unnecessary at the moment.
Uh.......Well, given that our 'leaders' in Washington are stupid enough to think that thugs like Pakis, Chinese and Saudis are our 'allies', this SHOULD NOT give anyone here a warm and fuzzy. I can tell you that much.
Hummmmmmmmmmmmmm Really?
Yet we have a "comprehensive policy" on what a former SEAL team might say or publish?
Something doesn't pass the smell test ... I sure as hell, am more comfortable hearing about the details of the raid on osama bin ladens then finding a drone flying around my back yard under the control of some foreign country!
Amazing ... no "comprehensive plan" on arms sales ... but a concerted "comprehensive plan" on limiting "FREE SPEECH!" from the pentagon & our government!
What!..we're selling democrats to our enemies...why didn't we think of that sooner..
According to the article the Obama administration wants to do this. Obama's plan is working. I hope Congress has enough sense to stop it. Soon we'll be outsourcing our soldiers to fight along side with the terrorists.
Made in America by Americans! Coming to you soon.
This is cheaper for us and easier for other countries to protect themselves than having the US ship a hundred thousand military personnel to them and spend a trillion dollars on defending them. Let them do it with their money and people and our products - that they buy from us.
You want to curb it? How about a high tech license agreement that has to be renewed every year. More money still for us.
************************SO FOS (FULL OF SH!T)*************************
************************SO FOS (FULL OF SH!T)*************************
You too
FACT: General Erik Shinseki (D) was hauled before US Congress over US Manufacturer Bancroft Outsourcing the US Army Berets to China because they could not meet the demand. The US Army Berets Made In China that were given to the US Army were scraped (destroyed). Other US Manufacturers were then subcontracted by Bancroft to full fill their Contract.
FACT: "US Military Must Buy Only US Products, Goods, and Services", the only exemptions MUST Be Approved by YOUR US Congressional Representatives. So Blame YOUR US Congressional Representatives.
FACT: The US Flags that go on our metal coffins are actually Certified Made In the US, including the Raw Materials.
FACT: Hypocrites, from your previous Newsvine Posts demanding US Military Defense Budget Cuts. Now you flip flop and say you need Jobs. You want me to paste your previous Newsvine Posts here to Embarrass you.
FACT: The US Military Defense Industrial Complex as previously created by President FDR to get the US out of the Great Depression 1939 before US Entry into WWII 1941 with the Sales of "War Materials" to England, France, Russia, China, etc. since President FDR realized that US Consumerism would NOT get the US out of the Great Depression and the Sales of "War Materials" would. Currently, the US Military Defense Industrial Complex directly and indirectly employs almost a hundred million overpaid expensive US Citizens. President Obama and his appointed lacky Secretary of Defense Leon Penetta, "A (US) Defense Cut of 10% will put a million (US) Civilians on Unemployment".
The US Military Defense Industrial Complex is the last thing that is keeping US Raw Materials, US Textiles, US Manufacturing, etc. still at the US.
FACT: The US Military pays a "Fair and Living Wage" to the overpaid expensive US Civilians in Labor Costs so that that $25 hammer costs the US Taxpayers $300; same with the expensive USAF Toilet Seat. The US Military does NOT benefit from this the US Civilians do; as the US Military ends up with obsolete US Military Equipment designed during the Cold War with patch work upgrades. While the Chinese and Russian Federation get every Chinese Yuan or Russian Rubles worth because they still take their failures out and execute them for Manufacturing Contract Defaults, Contract Delays, etc.. While the US Must Reward for Contract Defaults, Contract Disputes, etc. to keep the Contracts from being delayed for Decades in the US Court System. US Congress loves the Contract Delays since that means their State's Civilians will have Jobs longer.
FACT: The majority of Democrats are Hypocrites, demanding US Military Defense Budget Cuts, Reduction In Forces (RIFs) of the US Military, while saying NO BRAC in their own States, no cuts to the US Military Equipment manufacturing at their States.
FACT: "Secure Our Borders using US Military" while they Voted for, President Obama and his April 2009 and August 2009 Policies of "US Military will not be used to secure US Borders".
FACT: President Obama as Commander In Chief Ordered Reduction In Forces of 90,000 US Military and the Cut of 108, 000 US Civilians, to be thrown on Unemployment.
FACT: The President Obama and the Democrats have come up with a Solution to solve the US Deficit:
Put more people on Unemployment and on Food Stamps, 312 Million US Citizens x ($1.73 - $1.00 =) $0.73 = $227.76 Million x $xx.xx per day = end of US Deficit.
example of typical Democrat mentality above
FACT: Reason the US Businesses are leaving/leftthe US the US Taxes of 35%, President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address.
FACT: President Clinton gave China "Most Favored Trade Nation Status" in return for large "Donations" as stated during his Impeachment Hearings as "Chinagate". Coincidence, he was the Governor of Arkansas, Headquarters to Made In China Walmart. President Clinton signed the Blank Check that eliminated the US Laws that made Illegal the Causes of previous Depressions, resulting in the $60 Trillion to $100 Trillion Global Economic Crisis. President Clinton's US Law, H.R.4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" justification Section 2 Weapons of Mass Destruction (NOT Bush), Section 3 US Policy Overthrow of President Hussein, start of US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom (NOT Bush) with 1998 Operation Desert Fox. Not as President Clinton "Surplus" but a US Deficit.
FACT: The Democrats have had more time to f**k things up and did, as well as perfecting their corruption (demonizing and denying getting Billions from Corporations thru "Front Companies"):
So sure, Ophotfoot, bring up Romulan , I will shoot your arse down to crash and burn with very easy to Research Historically Documented (by all Parties, and Non Partisan) Facts.
Not working according to the Air Force Times and USAF Professional Journals.
On it..
please re-read okeeboys post. A yearly renewal of licensing fees won't protect us just as strict gun laws won't keep guns from being used in criminal activities against the majority of the American populace.
The sad reality, is hypocrites. Those foaming at the mouth in rage when the News Media uses Mr. Obama instead of President Obama saying "Dissing", "Disrespect", "Traitors", etc. and during President Bush saying "Dubya", "Shrub", "Runt", "Traitor", etc.. Also during President Bush saying "Public/Taxpayer Right to Know", "Freedom of the Press", "Constitutional Rights", "Freedom Of Information Act", "Transparency", blah, blah, blah; and now "Traitor", "Classified", "Burn Book(ala Chancellor Hitler)", "Prison", "Kill", etc..
By the way, the way this happens is that this Administration, President Obama, VP Biden, Whitehouse Staff, etc. calls the DOD, Pentagon, DOJ, and tell them to lean on whoever writes something they perceive as a threat to their Political Credibility (especially if they will be caught in a lie). They have also "sat on" (delayed) reviews of publications for classified.
And yes, President Bush (41), President Clinton (42) and President Bush (43) did that too, so when President Obama became US President with his promise of "Transparency" floods of requests from the News Media, Authors, Screenplay Writers for Movies, etc. were processed.
Irony most of the "Declassified" by the President Obama "Transparency" actually exonerated President Bush (43) from starting Afghanistan, Iraq, 9/11 2001 Attacks, etc..
This is so easy guys "No US military defense projects leaves the good ole USA". Ever!! Remember what Romney said ,"We own the government". This is another way that Obama is trying to recoup the money he has missused. Sure sell part of America and down the pipe we go! What a wonderful business man Obama is.
"Irony most of the "Declassified" by the President Obama "Transparency" actually exonerated President Bush (43) from starting Afghanistan, Iraq, 9/11 2001 Attacks, etc"
Thats the dumbest comment I have ever heard, how in the hell would "declassified" ???'s ever "exonerate" bush from starting wars that he clearly started? I don't need anything to be "declassified" to know who was president when these wars were started and who was lying to the American public about WMD's in order to invade Iraq, I was there. You may have been hiding under a rock watching republican propaganda on fox but I wasn't. Bush was never exonerated from anything. If anything more evidence has come out linking him even more to 9/11 and the subsequent attack on a nation that had nothing to do with the attacks, Iraq. Iraq was all about disaster capitalism and Iraq was a preplanned, man made disaster that took nearly a half a trillion dollars from the United States tax payers and handed it to cheney and friends at haliburton. you can try to rewrite history but it won't work anymore, too many people know the truth and too many people are going to make sure future generations know the truth about what you people did.
as for the selling of weapons technology to other countries, "the capitalist will sell you the rope to hang him with if he thought he could turn a profit", many of the weapons that were used against us in both BUSH wars were given to those countries when we were using them as pawns in the cold war. Israel will use weapons we give them to start world war three, and perhaps that is why we do it, to keep the world in a perpetual state of war so cheney and friends can continue to turn a profit, no matter who wins. The bush family have been funding both sides since WWII when Prescott got caught trading with the enemy.
Of Made In China High Tech Electrical Components. In March 2009 President Obama stated his Iran Policy, the US will not do anything without Negotiations first. The Ayatollahs of Iran basically told President Obama f**k of and die, no "Empty Words" (Negotiations). The Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran then started pressuring US Ally Pakistan for the US to leave, US Ally Iraq for US to leave, US Ally Afghanistan for the High Tech Mineral Rights to go to the China Metallurgical Group, overt training arming funding by their Special Forces, Quds, of the Fundamentalist Islamic Jihadists Worldwide to Overthrow US Allies and fight US.
In 2011, the Chinese placed restrictions on the exports of any High Tech Minerals/Materials from China. Previously, due to written oppositions to any US High Tech Automated Manufacturing by the US Labor Unions many US High Tech Manufacturing moved to China.
Since you don't have Firsthand Experience, we are talking about RQs (Reconaissance) not MQs (Armed). Unless, they have installed "one size fits all", the RQs will not have the MQs Fire Control Modules.
Most of the trillon dollars returns to the US, as the paychecks for the expensive overpaid US Civilians that work for the US Contractors; while the US Military get paid below minimum wages, live in holes in the ground or modified shipping containers, get crappy food in the Dining Facilities that the US Civilians refuse to eat at eventhough these US Civilians manage and work in the Dining Facilities, wait in lines for the US Civilians to do their 8-5 (closed for lunch) job.
FYI, regardless of what you believe about US "High Tech" the MQs still take "Boots on the Ground" for Targeting and Target Damage Assessments. It is this, that must never be given, sold, trained even to US Allies; as what we were doing till about a few weeks ago returning from Afghanistan after years of consecutive tours living with the Afghans, as well as being redeployed to President Obama's Secret Wars (Not Iraq nor Afghanistan, as "outed" by blabber mouth Senator Lieberman).
Talking around something, think WWII Coast Watchers as used to prevent Airstrikes; do not believe that our enemies are stup!d (Low or No Tech Methods to Defeat US High Tech, used by our enemies; but, Classified from US Public knowledge).
What could possibly go wrong? I only support the use of drones by U.S. Military over seas. They deserve every advantage. That doesn't mean every country should have access to them or that they should fly over U.S. skies.
A bad idea. This added to the many weapons we already leave all over the globe can only come back to haunt us as they usually do.
I have to wonder what the average IQ must be of those that dream up this crap.
Weapons we gave away to the Taliban when the Soviets were trying the impossible, that is defeat them, have been used against us.
It is way past time to rein in the Empire building and take care of stuff at home.
This is not a partisan issue, this is about security.
Really you were there, since that (Iraq) is over, who with.
Previously teaching Nuclear (Weapons) Physics (cush desk job), trained Missiles, Chemical, Biological told to switch to US Military Asymmetric Warfare (aka Special Warfare) based on prior Service LRRP/Ranger or resign my Commission.
I was involved with Iraq ever since the US Military Training Teams to US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars as a US Military Asymmetric Warfare "Middle East" Qualified Officer, languages Farsi, Arabic, Pashtu; later we were rotated to Operation Cyclone. We returned to US Ally Iraq just in time to see the Iraqis Military use Chemical Weapons that ended the Iran Iraq Wars.
Many deployments to other Nations during the so called "Peacetime US Military". Gyped out of credit for Combat, promoted with Peers (that did not participate in Combat).
US Military Teams attached to CIA SAD/SOG shadowing Osama Bin Laden after the 1993 First World Trade Center Bombing.
Redacted.
Recalled to Active Duty Special Category.
UN Observers to the Food For Iraqis Oil Program at Kuwait prior to the Iraqis Military Invasion. LRS-D and Pathfinder Operations for the Liberation of Kuwait.
First Gulf War, with the British SAS conducting "Scud Hunts", Redacted, and LRS-D.
Sure you were there, so what, you don't know squat or even why you were there (Iraq).
US Military Asymmetric Warfare (Insurgency) Missions attached to CIA SAD/SOG to Overthrow President Hussein. In accordance with President Clinton's US Law, H.R. 4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" justification Section 2 Weapons of Mass Destruction (NOT BUSH), Section 3 US Policy Overthrow President Hussein.
Operation Desert Fox, Target Damage Assessments.
Recalled to Active Duty Special Category.
October 2001 Afghanistan (information declassified by President Obama's Transparency Policy) as previously mentioned): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arxKhJIjIiY
2002 Operation Hotel California (information declassified by President Obama's Transparency Policy). Defeat of Ansar Al Islam (those that escaped us at Afghanistan), capture of Iraqis Chemical Weapons Facility at Sargat, Iraq; defeat of five Divisions of Iraqis Armor and Mechanized Infantry north of Baghdad, destruction of all Iraqis C4I and electronics.
2003 Iraq Redacted. US Military Conventional Warfare Forces Liberation of Iraq in accordance with President Clinton's US Law, H.R. 4655 "Iraqis Liberation Act of 1998" as US Military Operation Iraqis Freedom.
Recalled to Active Duty Special Category.
2005 Redacted. US Military Asymmetric Mountain Warfare.
2005-2012 Redeployments from Afghanistan to Redacted, Iraq (US Embassy), Redacted, AFRICOM, Redacted, SETAF, and Redacted. Return to US EUCOM (R&R). Return to Afghanistan. 2012 CONUS (R&R, Training). Resubmitted Retirement Packet again (denied, again).
WHY DO I HAVE TO KEEP EXPLAINING THIS.
I was with the US Military Teams attached to the CIA SAD/SOG during Operation Cyclone.
1. During the USSR 40th Army Occupation, the USSR did not care which Afghans they massacred, Pro USSR or Pro US, during the USSR Total Conventional Warfare.
2. The Pro USSR Afghans fled to the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran.
3. The Pro US Afghans fled to the Refugee Camps at Pakistan or the Northeastern mountains of Afghanistan. Senator Charles Wilson Democrat Texas demands US Involvement. US Military Asymmetric Warfare Teams are sent to train the Pro US Afghan Refugees, we were rotated from US Ally Iraq during the Iran Iraq Wars. After extensive Vetting to make sure that there were not Counter Intelligence Infiltrators and for possible use as future US Intelligence Assets we trained these Pro US Afghans, that became the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen. Afghanistan becomes "Charlie Wilson's War".
During this time Osama Bin Laden was still living with his Rich Relatives at Saudi Arabia, starting to form his Anti (Sunnis) Saudi Government Fundamentalist Islamic (Shia) Jihadist International Franchise of Al Quada.
4. After the USSR was defeated. The US Abandoned the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen. Senator Charles Wilson begged US Congress for $300 Million to rebuild Afghanistan back to the 20th Century Little America that it was before, as built up by the US from the 1950s to 1979. Without US Support the surviving 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen were losing the support of the Afghan people. Senator Charles Wilson due to his close ties to the CIA over the years knew that without resupplies of weapons, ammunition, and rebuilding it would be very easy for a Power Vacuum to occur.
5. The Pro USSR Afghans return to Afghanistan from the USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran. As a Duty to their Host providing Fundamentalist Islamic Sanctuary many became Fundamentalist Islamic Believers and some became Battle hardened Combat Veterans by Fighting in the Iran Iraq Wars. They become the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban.
6. With the Full Support of USSR Backed Fundamentalist Islamic Shia Republic of Iran, the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban start to massacre the abandoned by the US 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen. After massacring the 20,000 to 50,000 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban then start the massacres of the suspected Collaborators to the Christians, Jews, Unbelievers. The International News Media is banned from Afghanistan; however, their Ally the USSR Tass News Agency is allowed and videoed the massacres, as Afghans were beaten then hanged by the necks with the trees at the Afghan Cities full, and it was illegal to cut the rotting dead down to set the example for all Afghans not to oppose the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban. That was when we exfiltrated into Pakistan.
7. The 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban chase the few surviving 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen that were making trouble for them into Northwestern Pakistan (near where the previous Pro US Afghan Refugee Camps were) and massacre the last of the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen. To insure that the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen can never reform again or exist again the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban form the Fundamentalist Islamic Pakistanis Taliban to remain at Northwestern Pakistan.
YOU GOT THAT Pippo Schillaci.
1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban does NOT equal the 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen of Operation Cyclone.
This is why when we (few survivors of Operation Cyclone and other subsequent US Military Operations*) returned to Afghanistan in October 2001 there were NO 1980s Pro US Afghan Muhajeen friends we lived with and trusted from Combat; and we had to find someone else that hated the 1990s Fundamentalist Islamic Taliban, that just happened to be the Northern Alliance.
*of the almost thousand of us that started as US Military Asymmetric Warfare (aka Special Warfare) "Middle East" (Islam) Qualified there are only a few of us left (giving the US Government the excuse to keep Recalling us to Active Duty, since due to previous RIF's and Budget Cuts they never trained replacements starting about a decade ago (takes about 10.5 years to train us not including college languages and islam degrees).).
The above is why the current US Ally Afghan Government has issues with the US Abandoning them (AGAIN) to be massacred (AGAIN).
Unfortunately 'david-475776' is just an empty-headed as the people he supports. The only thing he's even remotely correct on is the fact that a little research is all it takes. Like most Ultra-Conservative idiots, anyone can find the facts to support their own paranoid delusions, and show them for what they really are; greedy, sycophants, who's sole purpose is to foment lies, and convince people they know what they are talking about by using words like "FACT:" before all of his dubious statements.
His comments on the 'military industrial complex' are probably the most inane, since FDR never uttered the words.
But during his first term (1933-1937) FDR had his hands full with Conservatives blocking most legislation (sound familiar).
And one last observation of David's commentary is our tax rate of 35%. Though our corporate tax, which is about 39%, is inline with the other two financial giants on the globe, those of Japan (around 39%) and Germany (around 38%), our personal taxes are nowhere near the top (Belgium and Germany alone have personal tax rated above 50%).
And after 20 years of service myself, I can tell you that whatever you were in uniform doesn't make you a political genius, rather just another idiot with an opinion.
I like Davids comments, a broken watch is right two times a day. Is it hard to stay on topic david when you are so prescient about all things global?
The Mexicans can't wait to get their hands on these drones.
How many illegals can you cram into one of these?
Selling the drones to foreign countries is one thing I have no problem with. Selling the drones with equipment we normally put inside ours is a whole different matter. Sell the empty shell airframe, not the high tech classified innards that go with them!
Looks like arms sales to foreign countries are picking up!
Hopefully those countries won't receive US surveillance contracts to watch our borders.
Of course the US wants world peace,that's why the US is the largest seller of weapons..
You give boys a buncha toys, they're gonna wanna play with them.
Dumb!
I'm scared, very scare for our country. These are not toys, they kill with precision. I am a nobody so they will not kill me but I don't like to see another "Fast and Furious" problem. Most of the countries take our money with one hand and stab us with the other. They also vote against us in the UN, all of them, no exception.
i hate to be captain buzzkill but any "enemy" that wants to use drones against us still has to get through our defense systems, i know people forget that we have technology that monitors any "foreign" flying objects (planes, missiles, nukes, aliens).
YES our 'defense systems worked well to stop dirt poor mexicans from sneaking in and to keep terrorists out, so you can surely trust them to protect us from weapons we give /sell to other countries.
That's kinda like 'Operation Fast and Furious' , where we sold automatic weapons to Mexican drug gangs and we successfully helped capture thousands of drug dealers and prevented deaths right? ...... oh wait I'm wrong the drug ganngs murdered Americans and Mexicans too, and their drug gangs became bigger and more powerful and US DRUG AGENTS and the BORDER PATROL can not keep them out and drug flow into the USA got bigger and bigger each year.
Yep selling drones is surelty another great idea!@!!!!
And this is a fine example of what business ia all about. Sell to anyone that has the bucks to buy. 66 countries, count'em 66 countries are on a possible sell to list. That's 66 chances that a drone and its technology winds up in the wrong hands. here's a lession from VietNam, we sold/gave weapons to the South Vietnamese and a lot of those weapons wound up in North Vietnamese hands because of corruption and greed. But since the only thing worried about here is profits, they don't care.
What a terrifying prospect... What with the US goverment already working on regulating drone use here at home for our "protection" which clears the skys for a potential drone invasion, they are now selling these bad boys whole sale so it becomes feasible? REALLY!?! This isn't a good product to sell to any other country let alone for ours to have... kinda parallels what would happen if we started selling nuclear secrets to our "allies". How long did it take for the US to weaponize these things? Half a year tops, saying they weren't designed for weapons in the first place. And these companies would have me believe that weaponizing them wouldn't be the case even if we sold a scaled down model? And 66 countries? I can only think of maybe 5 that anyone would fell comfortable with having them. This has war profiteering written all over it and even if it makes a buck or billion it will bite us in the ass hard. Please remember that we have military installations all over the world because we are the "cops" and it wouldn't be the homeland that would be at risk first... it would be those brave boys that protect us so tools like the board of directers at Northrup Grummen have a safe place to sel them up the river from.
Nothing like having a special weapon and then selling it to the rest of the world...and these brilliant people are in charge of the country's security??? Sounds like our own high-tech drones will soon be flying over head and stinging us back!
Supply and demand. There will need to be more wars so that the demand is higher when the supplies are exhausted. Corporate CEO's and politicians who are paid by them do not have to go to war and neither do their sons and daughters. They can have Swiss bank accounts and villa's on islands. Why should they care ? Create wars 'over there' and create jobs here at home. hoooah ! And, we'll vote the same cheesy, sleezy politicians right back into office. Absolutely no doubt about that.
And Northrup under Clintonistas aided and ab etted Communist CHina to put together with the blessings of Clinton in violations of providing arms too... What a government? Money, greed, EVIL...meanwhile we have Open Borders and are no longer self- sufficient nor in clothing or feeding ourselvs. And the COmmunist Chinese thus far own us while supplying us with poisoning products whether pet food, vitamins, plastics, ceramics, or wallboard...on and on...nothing done...one of those campaign promises of forked tongue deceitful LIARS..
Both parties are for themselves and extremist fill their agenda. or we wouldn't be TRILLIONS in debt owning to Communist China.
So when you pull the lever: hang yourself...not me: I do not vote for a hat...
We either get a leader and Congress to stop the USA Giveaway--or find yourself out in the street because Communist China doesn't let 2-legged homosapiens suck off the Gov Teet...they dispose of them knowing a society collapses under the weight of fat, do nothing, heathen breeders from womb to tomb; and rewarding such is self-destructive..does not a nation make--but break it is guaranteed.
China doesn't own us at all. We owe them a small amount compared to our GDP. We had 1 trillion borrowed and our GDP is somewhere around 15 trillion a year. Far from owning us. The us has 50% of the worlds wealth, japan has 25%, china has something like 5%.
I'm all for US companies doing well and would like to see Northrup Grummen suceed but, this government needs to review a little history. History has shown us that who's are friend today isn't necessarily our friend tomorrow and we don't want that technology going into the wrong hands!
couldn't agree more. althugh if you design a weapon for someone, probably you'd know how to break it.
If people are dumb enough to reelect obama, we will have 30,000 of these flying over the U.S. watching every move we make in 2014.
you should really learn how the government works before you say something stupid. Forth amendment protects you. They need to have a warrant to watch you. Constitutionality of something is determined by the supreme court.
@Nolan
The 4th amendment protects you from illegal searches and seizures. Government surveillance is not illegal unless it invades your privacy whereby a warrant is neccesary for the exact surveillance and obtained thru just cause based on reasonable suspicion (in some cases) or probable cause. Unless of course it's a matter of national security, then, the government writes the playbook daily. We already have drones watching over us.
and this is different from the republicans "anti mastibatory" cameras in every home, every room making sure the only thing your doing is reading a bible. get a life troll
You Should! ...... LMAO .... another post grad from Moron U ... with a Doctorate in "Lay Me Down To Sleep"
bobby-3132817: You have it backwards. The Democrats wanted a camera in every home and on every street corner.
It never ceases to amaze me at how naive people can be. To hell and be damned with all of the amendments to the constitution AND the bill of rights as well. You are already living in a police state, YOU are already being spied upon. YOUR government has the wool pulled over your eyes all the way to the floor!
The fourth amendment--just like every other part of the constitution--means what the courts say it means. And ever since 9/11, the Supreme Court has generally given a lot of latitude to federal and state governments on the issue of unreasonable search & seizure. Unless the government does something absolutely outrageous, it will allow the government to do pretty much what it wants.
Plus, in order for someone to take a case to court, he or she has to prove without a shadow of a doubt that the government is spying on him/her, and then prove tangible harm as a result of that spying. That usually doesn't happen until government brings a case against someone on the basis of the illegal search & seizure.
No one should be allowed this technology advantage unless they are proven & backed by American Sourverinty for the last 100 years;... London,Britian,Canada, & Isreal, absolutely no one else should be let near this type of Defense receiver which gathers intelligence/offensive strike weapons Period. And if you are talking within American Borders you better have proof & truth without question,on any war pact one, two, punch policies before acting like Independce Day. The American People are tried of this hush no tell information; need to know basis disinformation garbage feeding the air-waves lately. Get your nose's out of area 51 & stop letting the demons tell you, how to run the Universe especailly earth.....You tell them, we have the power, Power of light & EVIL doesn't extend over the [ 'I Am that, I Am' ] RULE's written ages ago... [cannot change period] Psalms 2 please understand man's not going to succeed & His Light Shines brighter over the Principalities, dominions,minions & rulers of darkness of this world...Sooner or Later & it all comes to Meggio. Then it's Show Time, No slow time. & it Ends. Check Omega Codes...... Brave Words they say Ah haw! Ah haw ! they will laugh & be amused/ no doult at this Psalms 2..... So will He in the Heavens Laugh at thier arrogance... Laugh ON.......Everyone's got their opinion & theory. Maybe we should do more praying...
Just buy more stock in Northrup and Haliburton. Works for Congress. Get on the bus, Gus.
make a new plan stan.
I think something that no one seems to be mentioning but should know is that the US already supplies a lot of countries with weapons and fighter jets which would be just as effective as a drone. Isreal for example flies american jets. Usually we only sell old equipment that we don't care about.
Another thing that should be pointed out, drones are made with the idea that if something happens and they malfunction, when the enemy finds the drone, they wouldn't see anything top secret or new. For example, one of the drones i was reading about a while back used a rolls royce engine which was over 40 years old. Just a thought.
We sell fighter jets to Iran, India, Pakistan, and many other countries. We don't care who their enemies are nor who their friends are. We dont even care if they are our friends so long as they have the cash. Our pals - Pakistan - sold the stealth helicopter that was shot down in bin Laden's compound to the Chinese. Our allies the Pakistani's who harbored bin Laden whom we send truckloads of cash to every year. Our politicians make a lot of money and laughing at us behind closed doors at how stupid we all are.
i hate to be captain buzzkill, but the US has and will sell military equipment to foreign nations, we have sold thousands of fighter jets in the past 70 years, do you see foreign fighter jets flying every were in america blowing stuff up, NOOOOO, so why the hell would you be stupid to think you would see foreign drones flying around here, because your a moron.
So much for the party of less government. More like the Grand Old Party of Liars!
Some much for the party of Peace, make love not war and happiness..
They need more drones in this country for suveillance in law enforcement. But, if the rich had their way, they'd hire their own private security -which they do anyway- and pay cops less than minimum wage and no equipment. Surveillance drones aren't such a bad thing. Abuse of them of course is. But, we're the good guys, right ?
Sarcasm noted.
If it WASN'T sarcasm, I have this nice bridge in Brooklyn................
What are you babbling about Perry?
No one wants less cops, except for people like the DEMOCRAT mayor of Camden, NJ. The one who just fired 270 union police officers.
Stop spreading crap when your own party does the same.
I guess as long as it is a country that doesn't end in a 'stan, 'ina, 'orth korea, ,'enezuela, 'uba, or 'ussia it can't be so bad. LOL
For the uninformed in this blog we do have tight export controls in place. If you worked in an industry that produced anything possibly for Military use you receivr REQUIRED training on who can be shown or told things. The reason for two lists is that the DOD cannot control the for civilian use equipment so it is a State Dept function. I would hide in my basement if military items were put under control of a civilian entity, which would be a for profit setup.
....and these SAME SILLY CLOWNS want to go after a U.S. Navy Seal for "secrets" violations,....get this Communist, Socialist, Marxist, Muslem, pro-queer out of office NOW. What in the hell is the matter with these people? I sure hope Romney put's Mark Levine as his Attorney General. These people need to be in prison and NOT in our pentagon.
I wonder if this Pentagon decision wasn't politically driven by this administration. But why? Why would Obama want our most effective weapon system in the hands any but our closest allies. Why?
Just wait till the first Americans get killed by one of those countries we're selling those drones to, and then we can get blame it on the Obama administration, while Northrop Grumman gets rich in the process. If anybody thinks there's any difference in these 2 parties, think again. The military-industrial complex is doing better under Obama than it was under Bush.
Great! a new way to take out the new Trade Center wothout work the terrorist put into the last one!
Well at least were selling the drone. The white house gives secrets away like food stamps.
Another step toward the global police state of the new World Order: execution without due process.
66 countries? More than 2/3rds of all of them. Wow, obviously ally or foe is not a factor, just the sale.
Eisenhower was afraid the military/industrial complex would damage not only this country but also life as we know it and boy, did he have foresight? The arms industry and its corporate suppliers are in full stride and we are right under their squashing boots. Life ahead, folks, will be eternal warfare, from the skies, on the seas, and on the streets of developing ethnically divided nations, boy soldiers with nothing else to do, and tragically, in US ghettos, cinemas, schools, and households. Aren't we supposed to be developed? This is developed? Yeah, the warlords are developed, the rest of us are bullet fodder. I guess quite a few of you are cleaning your Magnum right now. That's OK, I'm not afraid of death, I feel half dead already at the state of our land.
Well spoken! You vision is clear, friend!