Las Vegas Sun

March 28, 2024

Protesters call for end of U.S. drone strikes

Creech Air Force Base

Protesters clasped signs reading “Drones Fly Children Die” and “Violence Breeds Violence” as they tried to get the attention of military drone pilots driving to work this morning at Creech Air Force Base.

The base, about 45 miles northwest of Las Vegas, is a hub for pilots who fly drones conducting strikes overseas.

The rally was the first of a week of planned protests outside the base by activists from Code Pink, known for its loud interruptions of political speeches and congressional hearings.

The protesters, motivated by a recent leak of drone documents showing strikes result in higher collateral damage than the U.S. government has previously acknowledged, are calling for an end to the strikes and a congressional probe into the program.

“Our government is committing serious war crimes,” said Toby Blomé, who helped organize the protest. “It’s not making us safer. It’s making people in the world hate us even more.”

Today’s rally drew about 15 activists from places including California, Arizona and Las Vegas. Organizers expect more later in the week.

The two-hour protest started at 6 a.m. to coincide with the commute of base employees. “We want to be a conscience for the pilots out here,” said Jackie Barshak of San Francisco.

Organizers said the timing is fortuitous as the subject of drones re-emerged in the news last week after The Intercept published Pentagon documents suggesting collateral damage from drone strikes is higher than officials have reported.

In addition to arguing the use of drones is inhumane, protesters argue it decreases America’s standing around the world and breeds more enemies.

Policymakers see drones as an alternative to boots on the ground, arguing drones are effective in targeting terrorists at a lower cost with less risk to service members and with less collateral damage.

U.S. reliance on Reaper and Predator drones, the type of aircraft operated remotely from Creech to conduct strikes and surveillance overseas, has increased significantly since 2004, when the U.S. flew fewer than five flights a day. That number now is closer to 60.

With Creech playing a key role in the program, drone protesters in recent months have conducted several rallies outside the base near Indian Springs. A rally in March called Shutdown Creech drew nearly 100 protesters, organizers said.

The first trials of 14 protesters arrested on counts of trespassing or interfering with traffic during that rally are set to start today in Las Vegas.

Barry Binks, an Army veteran scheduled to appear in court Tuesday, hopes his trial gives him another chance to express his opposition to drone strikes.

“I would like people to know that they are killing a lot more people than they are telling us,” he said. “We make more enemies every time we kill someone with a drone.”

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