Independent Lens Season 18 Episode 15 National Bird

In season 18 episode 15 of Independent Lens, viewers are introduced to the controversial and complex topic of drone warfare. The episode, titled National Bird, takes an in-depth look at the impact of drone strikes on both the targets and the operators of the drones themselves.

The documentary primarily revolves around three courageous whistleblowers who wanted to shed light on the truth behind drone warfare. Heather, Lisa, and Jess are all former members of the United States Air Force who worked as intelligence analysts on the drone program. They reveal the gruesome realities of drone warfare, which is largely unknown to the general public.

National Bird shows how drone strikes have become a fundamental part of the United States military strategy, frequently used in countries like Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Yemen to eliminate terrorist threats. These strikes often kill or injure civilians, including women and children. Through this documentary, the viewers are able to understand how the American government program colors the deaths caused in these strikes as terrorist casualties.

As one of the former operators states, "the US drone program is a vast, coordinated, and largely indiscriminate campaign of assassination that is killing thousands of innocent people and driving many more to join the ranks of extremists who will seek to avenge their dead. Despite this, most Americans know nothing about it." Such candid and revealing accounts show how little regard the government has for the severe impact that their actions carry.

The documentary also sheds light on how the drone program affects the operators, most of whom are vulnerable young individuals. It shows how the operators are reluctant to share their experiences publicly because they fear retaliation. The heavy burden of being involved in extrajudicial killings 24/7 and knowing that every mistake could result in human loss creates immense mental and emotional distress.

The documentary shows Heather, one of the whistleblowers, visiting young operators in their hometowns. It highlights how the drone program's recruiters target young people who are desperate for employment opportunities, and how the effects of their experiences continue to shape their lives long after they have left the military.

The question of accountability also arises in the documentary. The whistleblowers make it clear that the US government does not acknowledge or accept any wrongdoing when it comes to the drone program. Even in the case of civilian casualties, the government is prone to describing them as collateral damage and refusing to take any meaningful responsibility.

The most crucial element of National Bird is that it humanizes and shows the reality of the drone program by providing voices of those who have been involved in it. While drones offer benefits like saving lives of pilots, the human rights violations caused by them surely isn't worth the cost. The risks it poses to the operators and to the innocent population make one realize that accountability is crucial. Through the stories of the whistleblowers and their poignant observations, the documentary makes a strong case for the urgent need for transparency and accountability in the drone program.

Overall, watching National Bird on Independent Lens is a tough but essential viewing experience. It is not just a documentary about drone warfare. It is a story of how systems, designed to take the moral burden off of decision-makers, largely operate without meaningful accountability and at a vast human cost.