tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post1232453371095216871..comments2023-10-05T08:44:09.303-07:00Comments on JG, Caesarea: Bill Keller, "Smart Drones": Keller Never Served in the Military and It ShowsJeffrey Grossmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01847518948270295312noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4067977173951690762.post-51703150773147355952013-03-19T06:52:23.615-07:002013-03-19T06:52:23.615-07:00Dear Mr. Grossman,
As a strong supporter of a ban...Dear Mr. Grossman,<br /><br />As a strong supporter of a ban on autonomous weapons, and a critic also of Israeli policies as well as those of the United States and other countries, I nevertheless must agree with you that it is unnecessary and unfair to "point an accusing finger" at Israel as having been "the first country to make and deploy (and sell...)" a fully autonomous weapon system. <br /><br />Whether Harpy is in fact the first such system is highly debatable and depends strongly on where you draw the boundaries. My view would be that it is simply not true that Harpy is uniquely the first, and singling it out could be interpreted as a gratuitous jab at Israel, even if Mr. Keller is hardly noted as anti-Israel.<br /><br />I do believe, with many others, that Harpy is one example of an autonomous weapon that should be banned, but since such a ban is only now beginning to be discussed, Israel can hardly be cited for not abiding by it.<br /><br />I also would not be so sanguine about the effects of a 70-lb warhead on a hospital, or on civilians in other scenarios where the weapon would not be able to determine their presence or distinguish them from combatants.<br /><br />Harpy is not itself the problem, but only one example, a tip of the iceberg and not even the only tip. I have little doubt that Israel is one of the countries poised to lead in the development of "killer robots" and therefore it is important that Israelis and supporters of Israel not feel that the initiative to ban such weapons is targeted at them. It is not.Mark Avrum Gubrudhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17495067666978213309noreply@blogger.com