Lapho kuhwalala ngama emgwaqeni ohlala abantu onotshani obuncane futhi ngabuka izindiza zisondela endaweni ebalekile ngaphesheya kothango oluhlanganisa iketango. Emayadi ambalwa nje ukusuka, kwafika indiza yeJetBlue. Kwabe sekulandela indiza ye-United. Kodwa indiza elandelayo yayibukeka ihlukile. Yayincane futhi ingenazo izimpawu noma izibani zangemuva. Uphephela wazungeza ngemuva. Futhi esikhundleni sokukhala okuphezulu kwendiza, umsindo wawufana... ne-drone.
Phakathi nengxenye yehora elandelayo ngabona ama-touch-and-go ama-swoops ngama-drones, amasondo awo efika kancane endaweni yokubaleka ngaphambi kokuba akhuphukele emuva ngaphezu kwesikhumulo sezindiza sezohwebo saseSyracuse. Eduze kwaso, abashayeli bezindiza bebesendaweni yokulawula phambi kwamakhompiyutha e-Air Force, befunda ukusebenzisa indiza engenalutho i-MQ-9 Reaper manje eseyisikhali esibalulekile sempi yase-US kusukela e-Afghanistan kuya eMpumalanga Ephakathi kuya e-Afrika.
Kusukela ehlobo eledlule uMnyango Wezokuvikela ubusebenzisa umzila wezindiza kanye nendawo yezindiza esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Syracuse Hancock International ukuqeqesha abaqhubi be-drone, abasebenza endaweni eseduze ye-Air National Guard. Izikhulu zithi kungokokuqala ukuthi uhulumeni wobumbano avumele izindiza zamasosha ukuthi zisebenzise isikhumulo sezindiza. Ngeke kube okokugcina.
Abashayeli bezindiza abaqondisa ama-drones nabadubula imicibisholo kuyilapho begqolozele izikrini zamakhompiyutha ngeke besavalelwe ezindaweni ezikude njengogwadule lwaseNevada. Ngolwazi oluncane lwasesidlangalaleni noma inkulumo-mpikiswano, imiphakathi emikhulu yaseMelika isingene shí ezimpini zama-drone kwamanye amazwekazi. Endleleni, sizoqonda ngokujule kangakanani - ngokwemibandela yabantu - ukuthi impi ye-drone yenzani kubantu abakude? Futhi kithi?
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Ukusuka kanye nokuhlaliswa kwezindiza zamasosha esikhumulweni sezindiza eSyracuse akunakwa kangako edolobheni lesihlanu ngobukhulu eNew York. Sekuyinjwayelo kakade, amasu awabonwa. Ekheshini ehhotela eliseduze nesikhumulo sezindiza, ngikhulume ngezivivinyo ze-Reaper drone kumuntu osebenza endizeni ye-American Airlines owayesanda kufika emgwaqeni ofanayo nama-drones. “Ngangingazi,” kusho yena.
Ama-Reaper drones asebenzisa umgwaqo we-Syracuse akahlomile, kusho i-Air Force. Kodwa lapho abaqeqeshwayo beqala ukusebenza, umsebenzi wabo wekhompuyutha uhlanganisa ukuhlonza kanye nokwethula imicibisholo ye-Hellfire ezindaweni okuhloswe kuzo eziqhele ngezinkulungwane zamamayela.
Naphezu kwezinsolo ezisemthethweni zokuthi iziteleka ze-drone azivamile ukushaya izakhamuzi, obunye ubufakazi busho okuhlukile. Ngokwesibonelo, ligcwele amadokhumenti ahlukanisiwe (atholwe ngu I-Intercept) sikhanyisele ngochungechunge lweziteleka zasemoyeni zase-US eziqanjwe nge-Operation Haymaker. Kusukela ngoJanuwari 2012 kuya kuFebhuwari 2013, lokho kuhlasela kwe-drone enyakatho-mpumalanga ye-Afghanistan kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-200, kodwa cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwesithupha kubo kwakuyizinjongo ezihlosiwe.
Ngisho nangaphandle kwesiteleka semicibisholo, kunemiphumela ebuhlungu yama-drones azulazula phezulu. Owokuqala New York Times intatheli uDavid Rohde uchaze lokho abhekana nakho ngesikhathi ethunjwe amaTaliban ezindaweni zezizwe zasePakistan: “Ama-drones ayesabeka. Kusukela phansi, akunakwenzeka ukucacisa ukuthi ubani noma yini abayilandelelayo njengoba bezungeza phezulu. Ukuduma kophephela okude kuyisikhumbuzo esiqhubekayo sokufa okuseduze.”
Njengoba abaholi bomphakathi eSyracuse nakwezinye izindawo bamukela ukwanda kokuzibandakanya kwasekhaya ezimpini zansuku zonke zama-drone, ukukhulunywa ngokusobala ngokubulawa kwabantu ezindaweni ezikude cishe kuyinto engathandeki. Izikhulu ezikhethiwe zihlanganyela namaqembu ebhizinisi nezikhulu zezobudlelwane bomphakathi ezivela embuthweni wezempi ekudumiseni izinzuzo nezimfanelo ezinhle. Akuvamile ukuthi noma ubani avume ukuthi izakhamuzi zigogekile futhi zibulawa ngenxa yezenzo ezituswayo, noma ukuthi - egameni lempi yokwesaba - abantu emazweni angaphandle babhekene nokuba khona kwama-drones emoyeni okungukuthi (ukusebenzisa igama likaRohde) “okwethusayo.”
Izindaba ezinjalo zikude kakhulu ne-Syracuse, lapho indima yesikhumulo sezindiza sendawo ezimpini ze-drone ibonakala kodwa ingabonakali. Izingxoxo zami ezingahleliwe nenqwaba yezakhamizi zaseSyracuse emikhakheni eminingi yempilo ziveze ulwazi oluncane noma ukukhathazeka mayelana nokusebenza kwe-drone eseduze. Okuphambili namaphakathi wukuwohloka komnotho kwendawo yedolobha elikhulu.
Ngokungafani nesizinda se-Air National Guard esixhaswe kahle ngezimali, ingqalasizinda yedolobha ewohlokayo kanye nesabelomali sokudambisa okulimazayo emadolobheni kuyisabelo esifushane. Lapho ngikhuluma nabantu abahlala ezindaweni ezinemali ephansi yaseSyracuse - elinye lamadolobha ampofu kakhulu e-United States - ukuphelelwa yithemba kwakuvame ukungaqondakali. Ucwaningo olukhulu olwenziwa yi-Century Foundation luhlonze iSyracuse njengedolobha elinabantu abaningi base-Afrika baseMelika kanye nama-Hispanics e-United States. Endaweni, ukungena kwakamuva kwe-federal largesse okwempi ye-drone, hhayi kubo.
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Iqembu elibizwe I-Upstate Drone Action ubebhikisha esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Air National Guard emaphethelweni eSyracuse enemilindelo evamile kanye nokungalaleli komphakathi okuqhubekayo. Umbhikisho wakamuva, ngoGood Friday, uhlanganise abantu abayisishiyagalolunye. Abahlanganyeli basho esitatimendeni esihlanganyelwe: “Kungenzekani ukube izwe lethu belihlale liculwa ngama-drones, abanye bethu bebulawa ama-drones? Kuthiwani uma abantu abaningi ababebukele, kuhlanganise nezingane, bebulawa kulolu hlelo? Uma lokho kwenzeka, singathemba ukuthi abanye abantu kulelo zwe elihlaselayo bazokhuluma bazame ukunqanda ukubulawa kwabantu. Sikhuluma ukuze sizame ukumisa ukuhlaselwa kwezindiza ezingekho emthethweni nezingaziphathi kahle emazweni lapho iCongress ingazange imemezele impi. "
Izinyanga ezimbalwa ezedlule azihambanga kahle kuziphathimandla ezizama ukudikibalisa ukungalaleli komphakathi - lokho abahleli abakubiza ngokuthi "ukumelana nomphakathi" - phansi. Ekuqaleni kuka-March, ijaji eNkantolo Yedolobha lase-Dewitt lathatha isigamu sehora khulula abamangalelwa abane kuwo wonke amacala esenzo seminyaka emibili edlule ebesingaholela ekutheni bavalelwe unyaka bebhadla ejele ngokungaziphathi kahle, ukweqa umthetho kanye nokuphazamisa ukuphatha kukahulumeni.
Kamuva ngoMashi, ecaphuna ukuntuleka kwamandla, ijaji lendawo ixoshiwe amacala abhekene nabantu abane abamise "itafula lokuzalwa" phambi kwesango elikhulu e-Hancock Air Force Base ezinsukwini ezimbili ngaphambi kukaKhisimusi ngonyaka odlule. Enkulumweni yabezindaba, i-Upstate Drone Action ithe izishoshovu "bezibhikishela umzingeli/umbulali we-MQ-9 Reaper drones eshayelwa e-Afghanistan yi-174th Attack Wing ye-New York National Guard" esisekelweni.
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Impi ye-drone yase-US iyanda emazweni amaningi. Ngonyaka odlule inhloko ye-Air Combat Command, u-Gen. Herbert Carlisle, watshela ikomidi elincane leSenate ukuthi "isidingo esinganeliseki" sibangela ukuthi ukusebenza kwe-drone yase-US kukhule "ngejubane elithukuthele." Leso sivinini sesiyashuba kakhulu selokhu uMongameli uTrump athatha izintambo. Ekuqaleni kuka-Ephreli umcwaningi eMkhandlwini Wezobudlelwano Nezangaphandle, uMicah Zenko, ibalwa ukuthi uMongameli uTrump ugunyaze isilinganiso sokuhlasela kwe-drone eyodwa ngosuku - ukukhuphuka okuphindwe kahlanu kunesilinganiso esingaphansi kokuphatha kuka-Obama.
I-New York ihola indlela yohlelo lwePentagon lokwandisa uhlelo lwayo lwe-drone lusuka ezindaweni ezingazodwa luye emiphakathini enabantu abaningi, olunikeza ukufinyelela okukulungele kubasebenzi. Amamayela ayikhulu namashumi ayisithupha ukuya entshonalanga ye-Syracuse, ngaphandle nje kwedolobha lase-Niagara Falls, isizinda Se-Air National Guard - umqashi omkhulu esifundeni - usezigabeni zokugcina zokwakha isikhungo sobuchwepheshe bedijithali esinomkhawulokudonsa omkhulu. Lapho, abashayeli bezindiza nabaqhubi bezinzwa bazokwenza amashifu kumakhompiyutha, baqondise ama-MQ-9 drones futhi badubule imicibisholo ohambweni lokubulala. Lesi sikhungo sisendleleni yokuthi siqale ukusebenza ngokugcwele ezinyangeni ezimbalwa.
Esangweni elikhulu le-Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, usayitsheni ovela ehhovisi lezindaba zomphakathi wayejabule ngesisekelo “esiqhuba indiza i-MQ-9 eshayelwa ukude.” Ehholo ledolobha imeya yaseNiagara Falls, iDemocrat ekhululekile, izwakale ijabule, ngenkathi ibeka eceleni ngokucophelela imibuzo yami mayelana nokuthi angabona yini ukwehla endimeni ezayo ye-drone. Usomabhizinisi wendawo ongusihlalo woMkhandlu Wezindaba Zezempi waseNiagara - inhlangano ezimele osekunesikhathi eside ihola imizamo yokuvimbela ukuvalwa kwesizinda - wangitshela ukuthi ukuthola umsebenzi we-drone kubalulekile ukugcina isisekelo sivulekile.
Ngalezi zindlela, ukusebenza endaweni ngenkathi kuvumela umhlaba wonke, umnotho wezepolitiki kanye nesayensi yengqondo enkulu yezempi yenza umsebenzi wezwe lempi.
Phakathi nengxenye yehora elandelayo ngabona ama-touch-and-go ama-swoops ngama-drones, amasondo awo efika kancane endaweni yokubaleka ngaphambi kokuba akhuphukele emuva ngaphezu kwesikhumulo sezindiza sezohwebo saseSyracuse. Eduze kwaso, abashayeli bezindiza bebesendaweni yokulawula phambi kwamakhompiyutha e-Air Force, befunda ukusebenzisa indiza engenalutho i-MQ-9 Reaper manje eseyisikhali esibalulekile sempi yase-US kusukela e-Afghanistan kuya eMpumalanga Ephakathi kuya e-Afrika.
Kusukela ehlobo eledlule uMnyango Wezokuvikela ubusebenzisa umzila wezindiza kanye nendawo yezindiza esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Syracuse Hancock International ukuqeqesha abaqhubi be-drone, abasebenza endaweni eseduze ye-Air National Guard. Izikhulu zithi kungokokuqala ukuthi uhulumeni wobumbano avumele izindiza zamasosha ukuthi zisebenzise isikhumulo sezindiza. Ngeke kube okokugcina.
Abashayeli bezindiza abaqondisa ama-drones nabadubula imicibisholo kuyilapho begqolozele izikrini zamakhompiyutha ngeke besavalelwe ezindaweni ezikude njengogwadule lwaseNevada. Ngolwazi oluncane lwasesidlangalaleni noma inkulumo-mpikiswano, imiphakathi emikhulu yaseMelika isingene shí ezimpini zama-drone kwamanye amazwekazi. Endleleni, sizoqonda ngokujule kangakanani - ngokwemibandela yabantu - ukuthi impi ye-drone yenzani kubantu abakude? Futhi kithi?
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Ukusuka kanye nokuhlaliswa kwezindiza zamasosha esikhumulweni sezindiza eSyracuse akunakwa kangako edolobheni lesihlanu ngobukhulu eNew York. Sekuyinjwayelo kakade, amasu awabonwa. Ekheshini ehhotela eliseduze nesikhumulo sezindiza, ngikhulume ngezivivinyo ze-Reaper drone kumuntu osebenza endizeni ye-American Airlines owayesanda kufika emgwaqeni ofanayo nama-drones. “Ngangingazi,” kusho yena.
Ama-Reaper drones asebenzisa umgwaqo we-Syracuse akahlomile, kusho i-Air Force. Kodwa lapho abaqeqeshwayo beqala ukusebenza, umsebenzi wabo wekhompuyutha uhlanganisa ukuhlonza kanye nokwethula imicibisholo ye-Hellfire ezindaweni okuhloswe kuzo eziqhele ngezinkulungwane zamamayela.
Naphezu kwezinsolo ezisemthethweni zokuthi iziteleka ze-drone azivamile ukushaya izakhamuzi, obunye ubufakazi busho okuhlukile. Ngokwesibonelo, ligcwele amadokhumenti ahlukanisiwe (atholwe ngu I-Intercept) sikhanyisele ngochungechunge lweziteleka zasemoyeni zase-US eziqanjwe nge-Operation Haymaker. Kusukela ngoJanuwari 2012 kuya kuFebhuwari 2013, lokho kuhlasela kwe-drone enyakatho-mpumalanga ye-Afghanistan kwabulala abantu abangaphezu kuka-200, kodwa cishe ingxenye eyodwa kwesithupha kubo kwakuyizinjongo ezihlosiwe.
Ngisho nangaphandle kwesiteleka semicibisholo, kunemiphumela ebuhlungu yama-drones azulazula phezulu. Owokuqala New York Times intatheli uDavid Rohde uchaze lokho abhekana nakho ngesikhathi ethunjwe amaTaliban ezindaweni zezizwe zasePakistan: “Ama-drones ayesabeka. Kusukela phansi, akunakwenzeka ukucacisa ukuthi ubani noma yini abayilandelelayo njengoba bezungeza phezulu. Ukuduma kophephela okude kuyisikhumbuzo esiqhubekayo sokufa okuseduze.”
Njengoba abaholi bomphakathi eSyracuse nakwezinye izindawo bamukela ukwanda kokuzibandakanya kwasekhaya ezimpini zansuku zonke zama-drone, ukukhulunywa ngokusobala ngokubulawa kwabantu ezindaweni ezikude cishe kuyinto engathandeki. Izikhulu ezikhethiwe zihlanganyela namaqembu ebhizinisi nezikhulu zezobudlelwane bomphakathi ezivela embuthweni wezempi ekudumiseni izinzuzo nezimfanelo ezinhle. Akuvamile ukuthi noma ubani avume ukuthi izakhamuzi zigogekile futhi zibulawa ngenxa yezenzo ezituswayo, noma ukuthi - egameni lempi yokwesaba - abantu emazweni angaphandle babhekene nokuba khona kwama-drones emoyeni okungukuthi (ukusebenzisa igama likaRohde) “okwethusayo.”
Izindaba ezinjalo zikude kakhulu ne-Syracuse, lapho indima yesikhumulo sezindiza sendawo ezimpini ze-drone ibonakala kodwa ingabonakali. Izingxoxo zami ezingahleliwe nenqwaba yezakhamizi zaseSyracuse emikhakheni eminingi yempilo ziveze ulwazi oluncane noma ukukhathazeka mayelana nokusebenza kwe-drone eseduze. Okuphambili namaphakathi wukuwohloka komnotho kwendawo yedolobha elikhulu.
Ngokungafani nesizinda se-Air National Guard esixhaswe kahle ngezimali, ingqalasizinda yedolobha ewohlokayo kanye nesabelomali sokudambisa okulimazayo emadolobheni kuyisabelo esifushane. Lapho ngikhuluma nabantu abahlala ezindaweni ezinemali ephansi yaseSyracuse - elinye lamadolobha ampofu kakhulu e-United States - ukuphelelwa yithemba kwakuvame ukungaqondakali. Ucwaningo olukhulu olwenziwa yi-Century Foundation luhlonze iSyracuse njengedolobha elinabantu abaningi base-Afrika baseMelika kanye nama-Hispanics e-United States. Endaweni, ukungena kwakamuva kwe-federal largesse okwempi ye-drone, hhayi kubo.
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Iqembu elibizwe I-Upstate Drone Action ubebhikisha esikhumulweni sezindiza i-Air National Guard emaphethelweni eSyracuse enemilindelo evamile kanye nokungalaleli komphakathi okuqhubekayo. Umbhikisho wakamuva, ngoGood Friday, uhlanganise abantu abayisishiyagalolunye. Abahlanganyeli basho esitatimendeni esihlanganyelwe: “Kungenzekani ukube izwe lethu belihlale liculwa ngama-drones, abanye bethu bebulawa ama-drones? Kuthiwani uma abantu abaningi ababebukele, kuhlanganise nezingane, bebulawa kulolu hlelo? Uma lokho kwenzeka, singathemba ukuthi abanye abantu kulelo zwe elihlaselayo bazokhuluma bazame ukunqanda ukubulawa kwabantu. Sikhuluma ukuze sizame ukumisa ukuhlaselwa kwezindiza ezingekho emthethweni nezingaziphathi kahle emazweni lapho iCongress ingazange imemezele impi. "
Izinyanga ezimbalwa ezedlule azihambanga kahle kuziphathimandla ezizama ukudikibalisa ukungalaleli komphakathi - lokho abahleli abakubiza ngokuthi "ukumelana nomphakathi" - phansi. Ekuqaleni kuka-March, ijaji eNkantolo Yedolobha lase-Dewitt lathatha isigamu sehora khulula abamangalelwa abane kuwo wonke amacala esenzo seminyaka emibili edlule ebesingaholela ekutheni bavalelwe unyaka bebhadla ejele ngokungaziphathi kahle, ukweqa umthetho kanye nokuphazamisa ukuphatha kukahulumeni.
Kamuva ngoMashi, ecaphuna ukuntuleka kwamandla, ijaji lendawo ixoshiwe amacala abhekene nabantu abane abamise "itafula lokuzalwa" phambi kwesango elikhulu e-Hancock Air Force Base ezinsukwini ezimbili ngaphambi kukaKhisimusi ngonyaka odlule. Enkulumweni yabezindaba, i-Upstate Drone Action ithe izishoshovu "bezibhikishela umzingeli/umbulali we-MQ-9 Reaper drones eshayelwa e-Afghanistan yi-174th Attack Wing ye-New York National Guard" esisekelweni.
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Impi ye-drone yase-US iyanda emazweni amaningi. Ngonyaka odlule inhloko ye-Air Combat Command, u-Gen. Herbert Carlisle, watshela ikomidi elincane leSenate ukuthi "isidingo esinganeliseki" sibangela ukuthi ukusebenza kwe-drone yase-US kukhule "ngejubane elithukuthele." Leso sivinini sesiyashuba kakhulu selokhu uMongameli uTrump athatha izintambo. Ekuqaleni kuka-Ephreli umcwaningi eMkhandlwini Wezobudlelwano Nezangaphandle, uMicah Zenko, ibalwa ukuthi uMongameli uTrump ugunyaze isilinganiso sokuhlasela kwe-drone eyodwa ngosuku - ukukhuphuka okuphindwe kahlanu kunesilinganiso esingaphansi kokuphatha kuka-Obama.
I-New York ihola indlela yohlelo lwePentagon lokwandisa uhlelo lwayo lwe-drone lusuka ezindaweni ezingazodwa luye emiphakathini enabantu abaningi, olunikeza ukufinyelela okukulungele kubasebenzi. Amamayela ayikhulu namashumi ayisithupha ukuya entshonalanga ye-Syracuse, ngaphandle nje kwedolobha lase-Niagara Falls, isizinda Se-Air National Guard - umqashi omkhulu esifundeni - usezigabeni zokugcina zokwakha isikhungo sobuchwepheshe bedijithali esinomkhawulokudonsa omkhulu. Lapho, abashayeli bezindiza nabaqhubi bezinzwa bazokwenza amashifu kumakhompiyutha, baqondise ama-MQ-9 drones futhi badubule imicibisholo ohambweni lokubulala. Lesi sikhungo sisendleleni yokuthi siqale ukusebenza ngokugcwele ezinyangeni ezimbalwa.
Esangweni elikhulu le-Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station, usayitsheni ovela ehhovisi lezindaba zomphakathi wayejabule ngesisekelo “esiqhuba indiza i-MQ-9 eshayelwa ukude.” Ehholo ledolobha imeya yaseNiagara Falls, iDemocrat ekhululekile, izwakale ijabule, ngenkathi ibeka eceleni ngokucophelela imibuzo yami mayelana nokuthi angabona yini ukwehla endimeni ezayo ye-drone. Usomabhizinisi wendawo ongusihlalo woMkhandlu Wezindaba Zezempi waseNiagara - inhlangano ezimele osekunesikhathi eside ihola imizamo yokuvimbela ukuvalwa kwesizinda - wangitshela ukuthi ukuthola umsebenzi we-drone kubalulekile ukugcina isisekelo sivulekile.
Ngalezi zindlela, ukusebenza endaweni ngenkathi kuvumela umhlaba wonke, umnotho wezepolitiki kanye nesayensi yengqondo enkulu yezempi yenza umsebenzi wezwe lempi.