Amy Goodman: The Rising Resistance to Obama’s Drone Wars

[marmar]

from truthdig:


The Rising Resistance to Obama’s Drone Wars

Posted on Oct 30, 2013
By Amy Goodman


“I wasn’t scared of drones before, but now when they fly overhead I wonder, ‘Will I be next?’” That is the question asked by 8-year-old Nabila Rehman, from northwest Pakistan. She was injured in a drone attack a year ago, in her small village of Ghundi Kala. She saw her grandmother, Mamana Bibi, blown to pieces in the strike. Her brother Zubair also was injured. Their case has become the latest to draw attention to the controversial targeted killing program that has become central to President Barack Obama’s foreign policy and global war-making.

“We really just have a very simple message to the U.S.: How do you justify killing a grandmother? How does that make anyone safer?” Mustafa Qadri posed the question on the “Democracy Now!” news hour. Qadri authored a new Amnesty International report titled “‘Will I Be Next?’ U.S. Drone Strikes in Pakistan.”

Nabila and Zubair are unique among the growing number of drone-strike victims: They were able to appear before Congress, along with their father, Rafiq ur Rehman, to testify about the strike and the devastation it brought to their family. They are featured in a new documentary being released for free on the Internet this week, “Unmanned: America’s Drone Wars,” by Brave New Films. In it, Rafiq, a primary-school teacher, describes that day:

“People enjoyed life before the attacks. It was 2:45 on October 24th of 2012. After school finished I went into town to buy school supplies.” When he returned home, they told him his mother was dead. There was a crater where her garden was. She was picking okra with the children. “That’s where my mother was killed,” Rafiq continues. “My family has been destroyed since my mother was killed.” Nine children in all were injured, as this drone strike fit a typical pattern, with one initial strike, followed closely by another to hit the rescuers. ...............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/the_rising_resistance_to_obamas_drone_wars_20131030

[KG]

1. still trying figure out how these people in the hinterlands of third-world countries

are a supposed threat to america. as if i'm sposed to believe the same security apparatus that conjured up the lies for invasions on afghanistan and iraq.

[perdita9]

11. Try to keep up with current events

There have been a number of bombs which have been intercepted before they've reached their target.

Look, I don't think we should be there at all but to say the people in these countries pose no threat to us is unrealistic.

[dotymed]

16. Why do most of them pose a threat to America?

Could it be that "we" have been enslaving and killing them (often by proxy) for decades?

Read "I WAS AN ECONOMIC HIT MAN", it sure sheds some light on this subject.

[xchrom]

2. du rec.

[seveneyes]

3. We should work out a deal

We stop sending drones that target their homegrown Islamic terrorists, they stop allowing unfettered teaching of hate and terror against women, minorities and those that don't follow sharia law. Just as there is no excuse for double tapping Grandma in the garden, there is no excuse for letting children grow up to be terrorists and abusers of others.

[seveneyes]

9. there is no excuse for double tapping Grandma in the garden

I'll give you the benefit of doubt and assume you misread my exact words ..."there is no excuse for double tapping Grandma in the garden", and leave it at that.

[hueymahl]

20. My aplogies - I aparently misinterpreted your meaning.

I've deleted my post

[perdita9]

12. Reality

The thing about wars is that people die. Quite often innocent people. It's why I marched against going to war in the first place but, now that we're there, we're going to have to expect some loss of life.

[hueymahl]

19. This is not war, this is assasination

We have not declared war against Pakistan. It is a false equivalency you are advancing. And what we are doing is not even helping our cause to decrease terrorism. It may help in the short term by taking a bad guy out, but it generates a dozen more people to take his place.

[polly7]

4. K&R. nt.

[woo me with science]

5. K&R Terrorism in our name.

[liberal_at_heart]

7. +1

[liberal_at_heart]

6. K&R

[perdita9]

10. How do you justify killing a grandmother?

I'd be a lot more comfortable with this question if Goodman also tracked down an Al Qaeda member and demanded an answer.

I protested going to war in the Middle East but, now that we're there, the fact that civilians have been killed does not surprise me. That's what happens in a war. I hate the drones but what's the alternative -- the military storming compounds? There are problems with that strategy too.

[Iggo]

14. The alternative is coming home.

[perdita9]

22. I support that alternative

[Iggo]

13. Obama's Drone Wars?

You mean the USA's Drone Wars.

They're killing in our name.

These wars are yours and mine, baby.

[leftstreet]

15. DURec

[AnneD]

17. The ugly truth.....

only 5 democratic Congressman bothered to hear the testimony.

[whatchamacallit]

18. "But terror and stuff"

Evil is as evil does. Rationalizing US evil is a favorite pastime of comfy Americans.

[Iggo]

21. Ya got that right.

[Wilms]

23. ^