Drone Virus

The Drone Virus is a 2004 sci-fi thriller based on a novel by Gerald Clarke . Whittam Smith seems to be immune to the drone virus.  In the end, he says,  the killing of al-Awlaki was murder. He is right. Th press too has become infected with the drone virus.  With little exception the vast majority of the media has lauded President Obama for the drone assassination of Anwar al-Awlaki and Samir Khan in Yemen on 30 September.

Before any charges have been filed and without any chance to defend himself al-Awlaki was sentenced to death by US official and “senior lawyers from across the administration” following the drafting of a secret memo. A notable exception to the supportive remarks of the drone virus infected press is a piece by Andreas Whittam Smith in the Independent.

Much more serious is the drone virus that has infected the body politic. Created in military labs by scientists looking for the quick, easy and profitable cure for the world’s security problems, the drone is now spreading virus-like around the world. Before the drone virus spread, the idea that nations could simply, publicly and illegally assassinate individuals and their families without causing outrage would have seemed incredible.

Now we have been infected, the military can ‘take out’ targets of opportunity thousands of miles away before heading home for dinner with the kids.  Now we have been contaminated by the drone virus, Presidents can command the killing of citizens without any charges being filed or indeed any due legal process.  This is the real drone virus and we must find a way to cure ourselves.

The Drone Virus trailer