When Lefty Comedians Mock What They Don’t Understand
Let me begin with a confession. I watch (and laugh at) way too much liberal political humor. I can’t help it. I think Jon Stewart is funny, and as funny as he is, I think John Oliver is funnier. His HBO special specializes in the “long-form” takedown, with 15-minute segments devoted to a single topic (one of his best segments was on FIFA, soccer’s international governing body). He’s the toast of many on the left, who see him as giving subjects the in-depth treatment that Jon Stewart can’t. But what happens when he aims both barrels of mockery at a subject he just doesn’t understand?
This:
That’s John Oliver on American drone warfare, and he has absolutely no idea what he’s talking about.
He spends an entire segment not just critiquing the drone war, but actively mocking it, without any reference to the laws of war or any understanding of the use of drones relative to other weapons. His main objections include: (1) the Obama Administration has a malleable definition of “imminent threat,” (2) the U.S. doesn’t know exactly how many people its drone strikes kill, (3) the U.S. won’t disclose its complete reasoning behind its choice of targets, and (4) it’s tough for civilians to live under the shadow of possible drone attacks.
So, to avoid mockery, Oliver’s preferred “war” would subordinate our national security to a regime that would permit strikes only when the threat is immediate, the body count is precise, and civilians won’t be afraid — oh, and according to publicly discussed and debated targeting standards. I’m sorry, but you might as well advance a national-defense strategy based on a unicorn cavalry charge.
Why deal with a comedian’s argument? Because this is what passes for political analysis to millions (literally, the YouTube clip has almost 3,000,000 views) of Americans. This is how they form their opinion.
Here’s the actual law: Drone strikes against al-Qaeda and al-Qaeda-associated targets are authorized by act of Congress and fully comply with military law — which doesn’t require public disclosure of targeting criteria or the identification of immediate threats. After all, disclosure of precise targeting criteria merely gives the enemy a roadmap for avoiding danger. Instead a strike is lawful when it meets the three-fold test of necessity (is the attack necessary to accomplish a military objective?), distinction (does the attacker make an effort to distinguish between military and civilian targets), and proportionality (is the proper amount of force used to accomplish the military objective without excessive loss of innocent life). Our drone war not only meets this test, it represents the most humane and precise aerial bombardment in the history of air warfare.
By loitering above targets and using high-resolution optics, drones can take the time to identify targets and wait for the proper time to strike. By using smaller, precision-guided weapons, they avoid the mass blast effects of JDAMs or most forms of artillery strike (Doubt me? Watch the difference between a hellfire missile – carried by drones — and a JDAM carried by our aircraft.) Critically, this kind of sustained loitering combined with the use of lower-blast, precision weapons is not actually required by law. We go above and beyond the law to identify our targets and minimize the loss of civilian life. And our reward for that is mockery.
And while I sympathize with the civilians who live under the shadow of our drones, their plight is the fault not of our military — which is defending our nation in full compliance with international law — but of the terrorists who violate international law by disguising themselves as civilians and hiding in civilian areas.
Here’s another video. It’s the incredibly intense trailer for American Sniper, the upcoming movie about Chris Kyle, the military’s deadliest sniper — who sadly fell victim to a deranged vet here at home after surviving countless firefights downrange. Now, as you watch this, understand that in the real world, our terrorist enemy tends to force us to make shoot/don’t shoot decisions with less information available, more kids’ lives at stake, and with Americans in just as much danger as shown here. This trailer is gripping, but it’s unrealistic. In the real world the decisions are more difficult, even when you are close enough to the fight to satisfy John Oliver’s exacting standards:
I appreciate the role of political comedians, left and right. They can skewer true absurdities, and they help keep us all honest. But they need to be kept honest as well, and in his extended treatment of drones — a piece loved by his adoring fans — John Oliver mocked what he did not understand, and in so doing he teaches millions of Americans lessons that will come back to haunt us all.