DRONES OF WAR - III

This is the third time I am writing on The Drones Of War.*  Previously, my posts appeared in May of 2014 and April of 2015 so it has been quite a while.  What prompts me to write again is the attack on the Saudi Arabian oil fields, supposedly by drones.  Who did it and where from is still in a state of confusion?   Original reports said the Houthi's militia of Yemen claimed the attack. "Official" U.S. reports by our President and Secretary of State suggest that the drones came from Iran or, at least that the drones were Iranian made.   Saudi government reports are less certain.  There is even a report that the attacks came from Iraq and also included cruise missiles:

But Iraqi observers say the attack on Abqaiq involved three drones and three cruise missiles.  The cruise missile is believed to be the Quds-1. A version of the Quds-1, using a small jet engine (model PBS TJ100 ) manufactured in the Czech Republic, is produced in Iran for the Houthis. Nothing specific is known of the range of the Quds-1 but experts say it is a version of Iran’s Soumar cruise missile.  With its 43 pound Czech turbine engine, the Quds-1 probably carries a smaller payload than the Soumar, which could have a Russian or Chinese engine. (The Soumar is said to resemble the Russian Kh55SM cruise missile.)**

As days go by, Iranian "fingerprints" are being found on drone fragments.

So far I can't find any deaths or injuries from this oil field drone attack

Dones are actually becoming rather widely a tool of war, usually in an attempt to kill someone or group.***  Most drone attacks are sparsely reported by the American press.  Israel, for example, had a recent drone attack on Beirut, Lebanon just last month (August 2019).****  While no one was killed by these drones, some were injured.

My previous discussions concern collateral damage by drones versus ground troops.  In a discussion on torture I write:
People speculate on how more modern parts of warlike drones - will be viewed in 10 years, largely because of collateral damage.  It is naive to think that using group troops instead of drones would result in no collateral damage or even less collateral damage.  Plus how many of our troops are you willing to sacrifice to get the target?  I  support drones, but not indiscriminately.  If in 10 years it is decided that they should be illegal, then so be it.

Well, five years later we have alleged drone attacks being used by many countries, including the recent attack, not of people but facilities, specifically oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.  It can be difficult to tell just who or where the attacks came from.

* http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2014/05/the-drones-of-war.html
http://stopcontinentaldrift.blogspot.com/2015/04/the-drones-of-war.html
** https://www.asiatimes.com/2019/09/article/saudi-oil-facility-attacks-may-have-come-from-iraq/
*** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drone_strike
**** https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/08/israel-strikes-palestinian-base-lebanon-reports-190826071121071.html