[viraptor]

> Military pilots take orders; COs tell them how high to jump, and that's what they do.

Do you really think that the disconnection doesn't have an effect on some level? Whether it's the number of people signing up at all, being ready for a mission, or actually following orders?

How many people would follow the order of shooting from a controlled plane to unsuspecting people in a convoy -vs- an order to take a knife and kill an unarmed not resisting person in front of them? The end result is the same. Giving them enough distance just makes it much much easier.

[blisterpeanuts]

Undoubtedly the video game quality of the drone program abstracts the carnage and makes it easier for the operator to sleep at night.

[hansjorg]

I recently stumbled upon an excellent, but slightly dark, browser game which explores these kind of themes. You play the role of a military drone pilot going about his everyday menial tasks.

Unmanned:

http://unmanned.molleindustria.org