Stable U.S.-China ties ‘profoundly important,’ commerce secretary says
Washington PostMAY 2023
US to Counter China's Military Buildup With 'Autonomous Systems'
Image copyright: Alex Wong/Staff/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Spin
Pro-establishment narrative
The Pentagon is putting the development of autonomous weapons systems in full gear. This technology keeps soldiers out of harm's way by removing them from the battlefield while allowing military decisions to be made much faster — almost at superhuman speed — thus improving defensive capabilities. The future of warfare is here and will help deter aggression — such as PRC actions toward America and its allies.
Establishment-critical narrative
Autonomous weapons systems lower the threshold of war by reducing perceived risks and making conflict easier to enter into. Decisions over life and death must always remain in human hands to prevent digital dehumanization and the automation of death. It's imperative to establish boundaries between what is acceptable and what is unacceptable and these systems must be rejected.