In a rare virtual dialogue, an Afghan survivor of a drone strike faced former U.S. military drone operator Brandon Bryant, sparking raw reflections on war's invisible scars. The exchange, facilitated by a human rights group, unfolded over a video call bridging Kabul and North Carolina.
Bryant, who left the Air Force in 2011, listened as the unnamed Afghan survivor described losing family members and living with persistent trauma. \"When I see drones now, my children hide under beds,\" the survivor shared through an interpreter.
\"I will pray for these people, and I hope that they pray for me,\" Bryant responded, acknowledging the complex legacy of drone warfare he helped execute. The conversation revealed contrasting perspectives: one shaped by operational screens thousands of miles away, the other by ground-level devastation.
This unprecedented confrontation comes as international watchdogs document over 1,000 confirmed civilian drone strike deaths in Afghanistan since 2010. Young activists globally are amplifying calls for accountability in asymmetric warfare practices.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
