Afghanistan To Get Drones

Afghan President Hamid Karzai, just returning from a summit with President Barack Obama, has announced to the press that his nation will be joining the age of drones. While Karzai spoke on a broad range of issues perhaps the biggest piece of news is that Afghanistan will get unmanned reconnaissance drones from the United States Military. In addition the Afghan military will receive 20 helicopters four C-130 transport planes.

The Pentagon has said they are in talks with President Karzai to sell the aforementioned machinery as well as other military hardware but no agreement or date has been set. Sell may be a loose term: between 2006 and 2010 up to 90% of the Afghan government's public expenditures was paid for by the United States and other international donors. That according to the Government Accountability Office.

While most Americans read "Drone" and imagine a sleek sophisticated flying machine the reality of what the Afghani's will be getting is closer to a four pound surveillance drone, called a Raven Drone. The drone is launched by hand and can fly for about an hour.

Still the technology could be too much for the already strapped Afghan army. If the United States isn't there to help the Afghan forces utilize the machinery they could just be sitting on the runway.