BAMAKO – So, Mali dropped some bombs. Apparently, a wedding got a little too close to the action. Ten fewer mouths to feed, allegedly. Cue the pearl-clutching from the usual suspects who think drone strikes are only cool when we do them.

Let’s get real. Al-Qaeda-linked goons and Tuareg separatists have been running wild in Mali. These aren't exactly peace-loving hippies, are they? They attack, they pillage, they generally make life miserable for everyone. The Mali military has to do something to protect the country, even if it means a few civilians get caught in the crossfire. Collateral damage is a feature, not a bug, of modern warfare.

It's always the same song and dance. Some tinpot dictatorship tries to defend itself, and suddenly everyone's an expert on international law and human rights. Where were these clowns when AQ was beheading people in the desert? Oh right, virtue signaling on Twitter about pronouns.

Drones are tools. Are they precise? No. Are they effective? Sometimes. Do they prevent boots on the ground, which means fewer Western casualties? Absolutely. So, spare me the crocodile tears about a wedding party. I bet those people weren't exactly fans of the Mali government either.

Maybe if these countries could secure their own borders and deal with their own internal problems, we wouldn't have to be reading about this stuff in the first place. But no, let's blame the military for doing what it has to do in a messy situation. Peak Clown World.

The real problem here is the endless whining from the perpetually offended. The world is a dangerous place, and sometimes bad things happen. Get over it. Support the troops (wherever they may be), and stop pretending that war is a clean and sterile affair. It ain't.

Now, excuse me while I go grill some burgers and enjoy my freedom, bought and paid for by the blood and sacrifice of brave men and women who don't have time to worry about hurt feelings.

[End]

Sources:

* CIA World Factbook - Mali: [https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/mali/](https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/field/mali/) * Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED): [https://acleddata.com/](https://acleddata.com/)