As someone who has flown forward air control (FAC)in a combat environment, I think I know a little about this subject.
First, there is no substitute for a man in the airplane.  Doing it remotely cannot possibly provide the same perspective as someone who is on site,, directing fire.  It makes it too impersonal.  
Second, the guy in the airplane can see things for, virtually, 360 degrees.  No camera can do that.
Third, if the pilot is based amongst the locals he learns what they look like, how the bad guys behave, how the innocents behave, etc.
Fourth, self preservation is a major concern that doesn't exist with drones.  This forces the FAC to use some serious discretion in his calling for artillery or air strikes.
Fifth,(and probably most important)  there is no way that someone sitting at an air conditioned rear office with a "video game" that he is controlling can possibly get into the warrior mentality.  (We used to call guys like this REMF)

Have we turned into a nation of cowards?

duster wrote on Jun 14^th, 2012 at 9:50pm:


Are you calling members of the US military cowards?

duster wrote on Jun 15^th, 2012 at 8:08am:


Now you're calling those drone pilots "wimps"?
What next?  Are sailors all "fags"?  Are Marines turning "pansy"?

I must tell you that your attitude comes as a shock to me.

duster wrote on Jun 15^th, 2012 at 8:21am:


No, I read the entire post, including the part where
you conclude that the US military is turning cowardly.

duster wrote on Jun 14^th, 2012 at 9:50pm:

I know what you mean duster   But we are not one dimentional or one sided   We do still use very much Pilots and planes to do missions that has never stopped .

Our pilots of today Airplane fixed or helicopter are just as many and just as brave and just as many sorties or missions  and they have saved many on ground .