Deadly detachment | Brandon Bryant | TEDxTrondheim

With the use of drone technology, his unit was involved in the deaths of more than 1,600 people. Brandon began to feel uneasy about his work and in 2011, he decided to make a career change.
Brandon Bryant worked in America's secret drone program as a sensor operator for five years, bombing targets in Afghanistan and elsewhere. With the use of drone technology, his unit was involved in the deaths of more than 1,600 people. Brandon began to feel uneasy about his work and in 2011, he decided to make a career change.
Since then, Brandon has decided to speak out about his experience to show that the role of operators in war is "more than just a videogame”. Often, they involved innocent victims.
Amidst the current international debates on drone warfare, Brandon has been awarded the "Whistleblower Award" by the Federation of German Scientists and the International Association of Lawyers Against Nuclear Arms. He has also discussed Drones at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

[@stealthkiss]

6 years ago, 30M subs and this video has 18.000 views. This is the world we chose to live in as humans. We allow algorithms to control our lives. Break the algorithm.

[@Tcr0087]

He is real human with ❤ in his heart

[@nikobelic4251]

“And attack my dog” Wait what?! Why the dog?!

[@ivanlaplante]

Cops often do so because they know it's an efficient psychological attack on the owner for which he will have close to no judiciary means of response. Call deontology because a cop attacked your dog, and i'd bet they'd ridicule you because it's just a dog, even if it's a family member to the owner.

[@sirenity8839]

Bryant is a hero!

[@johnrondeau8500]

Thank you for speaking truth.

[@cynhains]

Thank you, Brandon, for sharing that, it gives much to think about. Take care.

[@danamilam190]

God bless you for reclaiming your humanity and telling the truth. You are forgiven.

[@candisfirchau3810]

Brandon, that is a heavy burden to carry. I am sorry you have had to carry that. I know most service people mourn the deaths caused with war. I hope you seek therapy, EMDR for the PTSD

[@thaddeuspearson8952]

What are the prerequisites for speaking on a TEDX stage?

[@john-jamesblanchette6607]

People have to want to hear you

[@brianjones6500]

The hard part is kicking your girlfriend out of your house because you know you have to do this every day until it's done and you don't want to come home to a warm welcome. That is killing from a distance.

[@gregmarchegiani6656]

Started out ok talking about an issue very real with RPA’s. Got carried away listening to himself speaking like the wisest man alive.

[@cianwestmoreland8974]

"My country was founded upon one principle above all else, that you stand up for what you believe in no matter the odds or the consequences. It is on individual merit that we must speak, and it is a solemn and weighty responsibility. Not lightly to be flung aside at the bowling of the press, pulpit, politicians... or government officials. We are humanity, we're not our governments. Their job is to take orders, not originate them. So it doesn't matter what the press says. It doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say... Your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and when the world tells you to move, you push back and say NO... you move." - Brandon Bryant edit// ( paraphrasing Captain America)

[@WingedRyno]

+Cian Westmoreland No, actually that quote comes directly from Mavel comics, from a Captain America comic book. Brandon just has a habit of stealing it and quoting it as his own without attribution. www.ldssmile.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/3779149-no+you+move+cap+says.jpg

[@cianwestmoreland8974]

+Pick YourBattles You got a point Rick, I fixed that for you. I honestly don't read comic books so I wouldn't have known. But thanks for pointing that out.

[@lifesbetteronaboard]

+Brandon Bryant Thank you for this talk and all your work! I just watched "Drone" on Netflix and it lead me to search for this talk. I'm an International Affairs student at Northeastern University and many students cite your work when writing about Drones and Automated Weapons for our Intl. Conflict and Negotiation class. Thank you.

[@00comm]

comicnewbies.com/2013/05/10/captain-americas-civil-war-speech/

[@FarmerJim]

Thanks Jen Dunfee. I came to the comments for this and to post my own rant.

[@brianjones6500]

Your 13 sound like my first day.

[@davehug]

2,400 views.... always great apathy before a great war. thank you not for your service, but for your humanity in understanding how important it is.

[@brianjones6500]

Curled lip. Grin . Like that ?

[@Thompsonje]

Did he sign an SF-312? if so what he is saying now is not be reported about until 70 years has passed. I wonder if he has a UCMJ on his file.

[@pbgf0411]

Who cares?

[@ogrebattle22763]

He was never a drone pilot... From 2006 to 2011 he was a camera operator (sensor operator) of unmanned drones of the United States Air Force.

[@thatoneguy9473]

The sensor operator operates the camera and weaponry on a drone in most all cases

[@junkyard3924]

So basically he's the one pulled the trigger

[@CrunchwrapSupremeExtraBeef]

@@junkyard3924 No, he does not pull the trigger... he lases targets and finds targets given to him and operates the camera. Once the target is locked the pilot pulls the trigger after higher authorization. To say he was involved is not a lie, but he didn't kill anyone. And he says he was trapped... he wasn't trapped. You can decide not to do anything in the military and they'll just kick you out. He wasn't forced to do anything. Highly advised maybe, but not forced.

[@ALPHAQ469]

Controls the laser, controls where the hellfire or bombs go.

[@dougfrankenberger]

@@CrunchwrapSupremeExtraBeef I think he was saying he was trapped by his conscience. He had been told that his word was his worth. He had given his word to obey orders. He wasn't saying he couldn't quit the military.

[@nemoianpaw9929]

Cognitive dissonance.

[@zekueterna]

Not the dog!

[@nemoianpaw9929]

Big sigh**

[@Achrononmaster]

Seems like an intelligent guy, but "I never really thought about it..." is not an excuse for committing murder of innocent civilians. At least he seems genuinely remorseful and so is going some way to pay for his crimes. But the generals and the POTUS who authorized his killings... who is holding them to justice?

[@PS-qn4oz]

Justice? War is a racket. People are brainwashed into nationalism all along.

[@ogrebattle22763]

From 2006 to 2011 he was a camera operator (sensor operator) of unmanned drones of the United States Air Force.

[@ashirgujjar4092]

@@PS-qn4oz Wake up America!!! Don't play in the hands of devilish Zionists.

[@sarimb8834]

Well said

[@testidentify]

Brandon is not a unique name at all, was that a joke?

[@FarmerJim]

Maybe don't join the Army at a time of war. What do you think the rest of the Military does? If you didn't want to kill terrorists, (foreign or domestic) then maybe join the Coast Guard. I fly Apache Helicopters. I, too, have killed people at the touch of a button. The only difference between the way that I kill people and the way that you did is that you were never in any danger. Your family never had to live with the idea that you wouldn't be coming home from your 6th deployment. If you think that no one on Earth deserves to die for their actions, then why did it take you 13 kills before you decided that you had a conscience? "I had lost my humanity." Humanity has always killed people. Always. We have fewer killings now than we ever have before. Not everyone is designed to be a sheepdog. "Are these people [that we killed] any different from [my family?]" - Uh, depends. Does this apply to your family? ****As imam at a mosque in Falls Church, Virginia (2001-02), al-Awlaki spoke with and preached to three of the 9/11 hijackers, who were al-Qaeda members.[28] In 2001, he presided at the funeral of the mother of Nidal Malik Hasan, an Army psychiatrist who later e-mailed him extensively in 2008-09 before carrying out the Fort Hood shootings.[29][30] During al-Awlaki's later radical period after 2006-07, when he went into hiding, he may have associated with Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, who attempted the 2009 Christmas Day bombing of an American airliner.[31][32] Al-Awlaki was allegedly involved in planning Abdulmutallab's attack. The Yemeni government tried him in absentia in November 2010, for plotting to kill foreigners and being a member of al-Qaeda. A Yemeni judge ordered that he be captured "dead or alive".[33][34] **** He was tried and sentenced. If you want to mourn someone, mourn the victims of 9/11 and their families. Heck, even mourn his 8 year old daughter who was killed in a raid this year. Instead, you're taking your position and turning it into something for your gain. That's despicable.

[@mohana.jasmine]

I in no way support Bryant, lets get that out of the way first, as he to me is yet another perpetrator of violence that completely fails to take accountability and only seems capable of victimizing himself. However, this American, patriotic 'victim' narrative by no means justifies the US military's actions in the Middle East. Just to give you some numbers: in 2015 alone, the US army killed more civilians than Al Qaida, investigations have shown that the US drone operations in Iraq was killing civilians 31 times more often than the Capitol reports declared, and an estimated 96,5% of all US drone casualties are civilians. This killing is by NO MEANS justified.

[@zazouille2264]

Cope harder, LARPman

[@janedoe4471]

If I could be in a room with this man, in one of his weak angry moments, I would embrace him, I would embrace him while his fists hit my back with my heart full of love and forgiveness. I would listen to his anger, I would offer no words, because I have none of use. I would offer only kindness, because in the end that is all any can offer. A weak angry moment is not a reflection of a weak man, it is a reflection of a strong powerful man with a burden too heavy for any man.

[@ashirgujjar4092]

Wake up America!!! Don't play in the hands of devilish Zionists.

[@avitalalef9947]

Intresting subject, way too dramatic and emo. "A man has its word", god it isn't the wire

[@ashb89]

This shouldn't be used as content for college ethics classes. Brandon is an attention seeker that spent this conference putting himself on a pedestal, and then proceeded to make KZbin videos about how he should be allowed to commit mass murder because his local city council made a tax for infrastructure.

[@maxrosenberg5995]

Sounds like he wants attention...

[@longdune]

you are absolutely right. that is kinda the point of all he does.

[@CrunchwrapSupremeExtraBeef]

Islamican mom? Islamic mom*... Geeze man. Plus they ALWAYS tell you your job. After basic, during tech school, and before your first station.

[@Aaron199s]

He said "Islamic Imam"

[@kettlebellkyle311]

Why is this guy crying over dead hajjis ?

[@ashirgujjar4092]

Bcz he isn't a devilish Zionist.

[@longdune]

maybe there are also someone islamic crying over an american or someone else, it is called humanity.

[@leojohansson902]

He killed an innocent kid watch interviews of him

[@xueueux]

Why? Because hajis are human being..and if you can't see that, the problem is in you...not him not the hajis...