Topic: Drone Operators

ABC News' Martha Raddatz interviewed President Zelensky regarding "Operation Spiderweb," a clandestine drone operation that allegedly destroyed 34% of Russia's strategic air jets. The drones were reportedly smuggled into Russia on trucks with unwitting drivers. Zelensky claims the U.S. was not informed of the plan, a statement the hosts dismiss as "plausible deniability."

An NPR profile of millennial drone operators reveals the psychological toll of remote warfare. Operators, often as young as 19, manage high-definition cameras and missiles from bases in Nevada while their "higher-ups" and even the President may be watching the live feed. The segment describes how these individuals cope with the stress of killing by "binding together and drinking a lot," leading to concerns about the long-term mental health of this generation of veterans.

NBC News airs a graphic interview with a former drone operator, Brandon Bryant, who describes watching a target bleed out in high resolution. Bryant details the "accomplishments" listed on his discharge papers, which include 1,626 people killed during his missions. The segment explores the sociopathic nature of remote warfare and the psychological toll on operators.

A confidential military source reveals the existence of the Central Security Service (CSS), an agency within the Department of Defense and NSA. The agency reportedly operates unmanned aerial vehicles and conducts clandestine "black bag" operations involving facility penetration. The hosts verify the CSS branding on the official NSA.gov website, noting its low public profile.

Experts on CNN profiled conspiracy theorists as often being intelligent, mild-mannered men, such as computer scientists or professors like David Ray Griffin. Anderson Cooper argued that the government cannot keep secrets for long, a claim the hosts refute by citing the drone kill list, MKUltra, and Operation Gladio. They also mock Cooper for his own history of keeping personal information secret from the public.

The NDAA funds the "Transregional Web Initiative," an $18 million program for the U.S. Special Operations Command to develop websites tailored to influence foreign audiences. The initiative requires measurement mechanisms like Google Analytics to ensure target audiences are reached. The hosts also point out the massive amounts of money allocated for the procurement of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and ammunition.