US Drone Strikes in Pak Claiming Many Civilian Victims:10 to 15 people killed for each militant

[tekisui]

Source: Guardian

For the past three years, Noor Behram has hurried to the site of drone strikes in his native Waziristan. His purpose: to photograph and document the impact of missiles fired by pilotless American "drone" aircraft, controlled by pilots holding a joystick thousands of miles away, on US air force bases in Nevada and elsewhere. The drones are America's only weapon for hunting al-Qaida and the Taliban in what is supposed to be the most dangerous place in the world.

Often arriving on the scene just minutes after hearing the explosion of a missile, he first has to put his camera aside and start digging through the debris to see if there are any survivors. It's dangerous, unpleasant work. The drones frequently hit the same place again, a few minutes after the first strike, so looking for the injured is risky. There are other dangers too: the militants are suspicious of anyone with a camera, as are locals. After all, it is a local network of spies working for the CIA that are directing the targets for the drone strike.

But Behram says his painstaking work has uncovered an important – and unreported – truth about the US drone campaign in Pakistan's tribal region: that far larger numbers of civilians are dying and sustaining injuries than the Americans and Pakistanis admit. The world's media quickly reports on how many militants were killed in each drone strike. But reporters don't go to the spot, but rely on quoting unnamed Pakistani intelligence officials.

(snip)

"For every 10 to 15 people killed, maybe they get one militant," said Behram. "I don't go to count how many Taliban are killed. I go to count how many children, women, innocent people, are killed."

more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/17/us-drone-strikes-pakistan-waziristan

[firehorse]

1. Very important topic, thanks for posting.

As of a year ago, the US has used over 7000 drones, and can't keep up with the demand. It's unethical and its a sleazy way for us to go to war while bypassing congress's approval. Every casualty is a seed sown and we will reap karmic revenge when the slippery slope corrupts to the point that drones will be used here in the good ol US of A.

If Murdoch is a criminal with his hacking, wait till our own government deploys drones here including grasshopper sized ones with cameras.

[firehorse]

2. link to microdrones, US developed - the size of insects

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2013802/U-S-military-drones-small-look-like-insects.html

[indepat]

3. Were those drone strikes launched by a foreign power targeting terraists on American soil, doubt if

the general populace would long sit back and just say that killing 10 to 15 citizens for each terraist killed is a tad high and they should try to get it down to only eight or nine civilians killed for each terraist. :shrug: :patriot:

[Octafish]

4. Push-Button Murder, Inc.

Thank you for the important article, tekisuisan.

[scarletwoman]

5. This is terrorism. This is murder. (nt)

[DirkGently]

6. But it's such a clean, bloodless war. For us.

[robdogbucky]

7. Amerikka

Bringing their peculiar brand of democracy to Pakistan now, a couple dozen corpses at a time.






Hands off my Social Security!
Hands off Latin America!

[malaise]

8. Just collateral damage

Don't worry be happy :sarcasm:

[Pooka Fey]

9. K&R

[Springer9]

10. "When the President does it,

That means it is not illegal." Richard M. Nixon, TV interview with David Frost, May 20, 1977.

[bvar22]

11. Now THAT is spreading American Style Democracy!!!

K&R for
ANOTHER "Uniquely American Solution!"
USA! USA! USA!


:patriot:

[azul]

12. Sets the precedent for the NewsCorp Empire to come hunting

enemies in the US with mercenary drones after they buy Granada. And they won't even admit it either.

[Forkboy]

13. K&R