Innovation in warfare strives for the ultimate weapon, the killing devise that will exert the maximum suffering on the other, and the least on the protagonist.

Drone attacks, such as those launched in Afghanistan are a form of reification of video gaming. The dream must be to replace the human element in the system with robots, and then we will have robotics killing human beings, which might then require some reconceptualizing as to the nature of murder. At this point the issue of murder is well defined, all that is lacking are indictments for those responsible.

Paul Woodward at War in Context describes the scene, and absence of traditional warrior values, such as valor:

In Shakespeare’s Henry V, as the Battle of Agincourt is about to commence, the king addresses his men — “ We few, we happy few, we band of brothers” — heavily outnumbered by the French and facing the risk of imminent slaughter.

Henry — a king who fights with his men and doesn’t simply issue commands — declares: Read more »