U.S. assembling secret drone bases in Africa

Update: In tropical paradise, U.S. drones meant revenue
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/in-tropical-paradise-us-drones-add-up-to-revenue/2011/09/22/gIQAkqRSnK_blog.html
Nice to know that money still makes the world go round...

A future for drones: Automated killing

http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/national-security/a-future-for-drones-automated-killing/2011/09/15/gIQAVy9mgK_story.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/us-building-secret-drone-bases-in-africa-arabian-peninsula-officials-say/2011/09/20/gIQAJ8rOjK_story.html

I am really impressed by the expanded missions and capabilities of the drones.
I do have concerns about the moral implications of turning war into a video game. The current generation of drones are basically remote controled. So it is in fact a human being that makes the decision to fire and kill another human being. Im not sure im comfortable with the next logical step in this weapons platform. Autonomous unmaned aircraft. Can we really give the decision to kill to a computer? Is a life really to be subject to an algorythm? a calculation. This screams skynet to me.

Secret drone bases: Avoiding past mistakes
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/checkpoint-washington/post/secret-drone-bases-avoiding-past-mistakes/2011/09/21/gIQAPaN0kK_blog.html

Increased U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/20/AR2011022002975.html