4: A Green Politician

AI in the Battlespace: Chapter 4

4: A Green Politician

It's late morning. Colonel Liu checks the hall: most people are now seated but there is always that trickle of late-comers, people chatting or loitering in the passageways. He leans towards the mic, taps it, calls the meeting to order and shortly afterwards the lights begin to dim.

“This second session follows on from the events we’ve just reviewed,” he says, “You’re all aware of the tensions within NATO - we're not always the flavor of the month. We approached the Germans through a French security consultant. He's meeting Ursula Sagel, junior minister for the Bundeswehr who's an MP for Die Grünen. She's aligned with their liberal-ecological wing. Good choice for a defense minister you might say.”

This amuses his listeners.

“Ursula Sagel and Dr Caron are discussing the war game between NATO autonomous soldiers and their Russian equivalents. The meeting took place in her office in the Bendlerblock building in Berlin and was recorded.”

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Alain Caron has already made a good impression on her. He’s in his mid thirties - my age thinks Ursula - and somewhat stocky. He’s a little taller than she is - Ursula is slim and willowy - and he looks very French in his smart jeans and casual jacket.

Gallic-casual, Ursula thinks.

Her office is in one of Berlin's large and ornate buildings, one of those which survived two world wars. The high ceiling has functional chandeliers but today's illumination comes from wall-mounted uplighters. Ursula steps from behind her solid wooden desk and shows her visitor to a side area where she can watch the presentation.

The two guys with the recording equipment position themselves discreetly behind them.

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Ursula has already been briefed about robotic land-warriors. Today's meeting is policy, not facts.

“Before we get to what the Russians may or may not have programmed into their robot-soldiers,” she says, “I want to make our Government’s position clear. We abide by the rules of war; rules designed to prevent NATO drones from ever committing atrocities.”

Ursula is a conviction-politician: this is not just a formulaic recital.

The almost-pacifist ethos of the German Government places strains on the NATO alliance and prompts accusations of free riding from the current US administration. Caron's job here is not to change Ursula's mind about anything - he knows that’s impossible - but to place another brick in the wall, to build a gathering case slowly and logically.

“Put the Russians to one side for now,” he says, “I want to highlight some of the genuine problems with land-drones, or robot-soldiers or whatever we want to call them.”

The screen shows an aerial view of American soldiers driving into a dusty village. It could be anywhere in the Middle-East or Central Asia. The humvees stop in a large clearing surrounded by mud brick dwellings. The scene is a chiaroscuro: etched in deep shadows and scorching light by the searing sun overhead.

“They don’t know this village,” says Alain, “they've never been here before but they’re prepared for ambush. This imagery is from their drone.”

The soldiers dismount and form up around their vehicles. The camera pans to the largest hut, zooms to a group of bearded men with a small child. An elderly man gives the child flowers and directs her towards the troops.

The little girl slowly and carefully walks the fifty metres to the nearest soldiers under the barrels of their guns. She is quite alone. Apart from the small group of elders, the village seems deserted - but who knows what’s going on inside, or behind those trees and agricultural piles?

“You see their dilemma?” whispers Alain as they both watch. Ursula’s looking tense.

The girl is allowed to approach and a soldier is deputised to meet her. Unarmed he advances, arms held wide and they meet. He takes the flowers, smiles and she shyly returns a smile. The tension eases away and the elders drift into view, ready to meet the incomers.

Alain is still watching Ursula intently. Unusually for a politician, her expressions match how she’s feeling. He can see her smile of relief, her pleasure as the child offered the flowers.

“Don't be misled. These villagers really don’t like American soldiers,” Alain says, “Despite any illusions back in the States. This is really just the deference the weak give to the powerful, trying to mollify them, get them off their backs.”

The clip ends. Alain prepares to run the next.

“Try this,” he says.

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