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> Suppose you have a person sitting in a computer center in California controlling drones dropping bombs in Afghanistan. Is he a civilian or soldier?

They are a soldier, attacking an enemy. I genuinely don't understand how being further away makes that unclear.

Or any different from a soldier calling in an airstrike being further away than a soldier with a rifle being further away than a soldier with a sword.

> If not, does he become one when he goes home from his shift for the day?

They are an off duty soldier.

> What about all the computer programmers writing drone software making his job possible?

They are weapons manufacturers.

Writing drone software = workers in a munitions factory? Valid military targets, at least to me. Same with the drone operator, which afaik is usually in the military, with military training.

Is a gun manufacturer or designer a soldier? He makes rifleman's job possible.