Nadene Goldfoot
Ever since 2004, the USA has been attacking NW Pakistan with drones under the CIA's Special Activities Division. This was under George Walker Bush and Barack Hussein Obama II's time in office. These strikes were in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas along the Afghan border of NW Pakistan, the area where the Pashtuns live. The strikes increased under Obama. Some call these the "Drone War." The Bush Administration denied this was going on, but in 2013 Obama's Administration told us for the 1st time that 4 US citizens had been killed in the strikes. Who has died from the strikes? Only 13% were intended targets and 81% were other "militants," and 6% were civilians. 94% of militant deaths included some "military-age males" because they were men in a military building at the time and hadn't been proven innocent. Estimates for civilian deaths range from 158 to 965. It was found that a number of victims were unarmed and that some strikes could amount to war crimes.
By December 2013 under Obama's Administration, Pakistan had a resolution against the US drone strikes in Pakistan and called them a violation of the charter of the UN international laws. Former PM, Nawaz Sharif, kept demanding an end to the strikes. The Peshawar High Court ruled that the attacks are illegal, inhumane, violate the Universal Declaration of Human rights and constitute a war crime. Obama's administration disagreed, contended that the attacks didn't violate any international law and that the method of attack was precise and effective.
These strikes are closely tied to a drone campaign going on in Afghanistan along the very same border area. War there started in 2001 under Bush. They have killed 3,363-4-4,467 militant and 150-313 civilians. Hundreds of high level leaders of the Afghan, Taliban, the Pakistani Taliban, the Islamic State, Al-Qaeda, the Haggani Network, and other organizations, with 70 Taliban leaders killed in one 10 day period of May 2017 alone. This now included Trump's administration being 2017. I note that John Brennan was one from CIA advising the president from 2013 to 2017 as the Director. He followed such men as Porter J. Goss, George J Tenet, Leon Panetta, and David Petraeus, all advisers to the presidents in this matter.
Obviously it is ISIS and the Taliban that have been the targets for all 3 USA Presidents. ISIS has threatened Israel, and is a threat all over the world, attacking the world in many places. They undoubtedly do what HAMAS has done to Israel, hide among the civilians. Israel has developed weapons that can pinpoint a target without hitting others if out for one person. It looks like civilians in Pashtun land areas are being killed in the zeal to get ISIS or Taliban combatants.
The Border between Afghanistan and Pakistan where Pashtos live: Notice the area of Kandahar, where a village was hit badly in their own fight against the Taliban. The target for USA then must be including the Taliban, a terrorist group also taking in Pashtos who have attacked other Pashtos. "By 2011, Kandahar became known as the assassination city of Afghanistan after witnessing many target killings. In July Ahmed Wali Karzai, brother of President Hamid Karzai, was shot by his longtime head of security. Soon after the Quetta Shura of the Taliban claimed responsibility. The next day an Islamic cleric (mulla) of the famous Red Mosque in the Shahr-e Naw area of the city and a number of other people were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber who had hidden explosives inside his turban. On 27 July 2011, the mayor of the city, Ghulam Haider Hamidi, was assassinated by another Taliban militant who had hidden explosives in his turban. Two deputy mayors had been killed in 2010,[38] while many tribal elders and Islamic clerics have also been assassinated in the last several years." |
Pakistan protests against USA Drone Attacks- STOP DRONE ATTACKS IN PAKISTAN The Pakistan Air Force was ordered to shoot down US drones. |
As for the USA and Pakistan, Pakistan, one of the largest recipients of American aid, was aghast after UN Ambassador Nikki Haley announced plans to indefinitely suspend $225 million in foreign military aid at the start of January this year, accusing Islamabad of “playing a double game for years” with its selective support for various militant groups operating on its soil. Pakistan may have responded to the withholding of aid by taking the pressure off counterterror efforts on its border with Afghanistan – likely easing the movement of militants and their supplies. The new PM of Pakistan has this problem to deal with
In the war against terror, civilians are getting hit.
Resource: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drone_strikes_in_Pakistan
https://www.britannica.com/topic/list-of-Central-Intelligence-Agency-directors-1787118
https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704904604575262231676468708
No comments:
Post a Comment