US drone strikes wise, legal, just, defends White House official
The US drone programme, operated by its spy agency, the Central Investigation Agency (CIA), has reportedly killed 2,200 people in Pakistan (August 2011 tally), including 168 children among at least 385 civilians and non-combatants. It has been a source of public anger and last month, in its US policy review, Pakistan decided to ask US to stop the attacks.
On Monday, US President Barack Obama's assistant on counterterrorism and homeland security, John Brennan said that they are carried out "in full accordance with the law".
Speaking at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington DC, Brennan said, "there is nothing in international law that bans the use of remotely piloted aircraft for this purpose or that prohibits us from using lethal force against our enemies outside of an active battlefield, at least when the country involved consents or is unable or unwilling to take action against the threat."
Earlier this year, President Obama, whose administration like the one before it had never officially acknowledged the programme, admitted in a television interview that the US was was using the remotely piloted armed aircrafts to attack, and even kill targets on the ground.
Brennan’s speech was interrupted in the first half when a woman stood up and protested, raising slogans against the drone strikes and deaths of civilians in Pakistan. She was escorted out by security officials.
Returning to the legal defense of the programme, Brennan cited domestic laws, and said that the Authorisation for Use of Military Force passed by Congress after September 11 attacks "authorises the president ‘to use all necessary and appropriate force’ against those nations, organisations and individuals responsible for 9/11.”
“There is nothing in the AUMF that restricts the use of military force against al Qaeda to Afghanistan."
On the subject of international law and drone strikes, the WH official said that the US is in an armed conflict with the al Qaeda, Taliban and associated forces after the 9/11 attacks. "We may also use force consistent with our inherent right of national self-defense."
Brennan described drone strikes as wise as they reduced danger to innocent civilians. He said that the US only authorises strikes of which they have a "high degree of confidence that innocent civilians will not be injured or killed, except in the rarest of circumstances." However he acknowledged that civilian casualties have taken place. "When it does, it pains us and we regret it deeply, as we do any time innocents are killed in war."
The White House official cited legal arguments that justified the drone strikes, and said that they have set a high bar when they make the decision to carry out a drone strike, and that they are committed to greater transparency.
"When considering lethal force we are of course mindful that there are important checks on our ability to act unilaterally in foreign territories. We do not use force whenever we want, wherever we want. International legal principles, including respect for a state’s sovereignty and the laws of war, impose constraints. The United States of America respects national sovereignty and international law," the WH official maintained.
Brennan also pointed out how the drone campaign had pushed al Qaeda to the brink, with its slain leader, Osama bin Laden claiming it to be "disaster, disaster" in documents seized from the Abbottabad hideout where he was killed by US special forces almost a year ago.
COMMENTS (40)
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@malik: Are you saying that innocent Pakistani people are expendable, and it is wise, legal and just for America to kill them so that you can live in peace?
Innocent people are sacrificing their lives as true shaheeds so that the rest of the Pak can live in peace.
If you look it at that way, then, the drone attacks are really wise, legal and just.
@Mirza: No need for US to apologize for targeting the terrorists. They are actually helping Pakistani civilians at no cost to us.
I actually find this statement outrageous.For someone to think that this war on terror has cost us(pakistanis) nothnig ,he must be wearing thick glasses of foggy political belief.And I thought only mullahs were blind in their faith.
There is no clear evidence of efficacy of these Drones , they have spurred furhthur recruitment and may only have caused temporary disruption in the communications of TTP by forcing them underground. This is a strategy which is lacking in clear military objective, and it's highly debatable if it is effective.Even one child killed in this aimless war is one too many. Sooner or later they will have to come to the dialogue table for a political sttlement. sooner they do it better it would be.
It is fairly obvious that Mr. Brennans's love ones, and those people who support his viewpoint are not in the firing line of drone missiles. Unfortunately, it is always so easy for a Government to find a "yes man" who will conveniently say what they want him/her to say, and Mr. Brennan is obviously one of them. However, moving on, I am under the impression that many countries in Europe, and indeed America, have militants in their midst. Why doesn't the U.S. fire drones onto British, European, American, and Indian militant targets? The only reason America is violating Pakistan Sovereign territory is because they think they can get away with it, and unfortunately they have so far.
Good job! US! Need to continue drone attack until the last of the terrorists are cleaned out!!
Why aren't there any drones flying over in kandahar the strong hold of the taliban? How many taliban attacks have originated from there yet no american action has taken place against them.
@SomeoneFromSomewhere
Of course, it was US hegemony when Bush said "you're either with us, or against us" which drove Pakistan into this quagmire, people like you will continue to bad mouth against Pakistan and will do their utmost to distort the truth.
Aamir: US didn't DRAGGED Pakistan into the war. These mullah Taliban and AlQaeda are the crops of Pakistan as well as of US to some extent. They are cleaning their own mess, while Pakistan has accepted terrorists as their bros.
@Ch. Usman Ali: Chaudhary Sahib...at least read the news article before you unleash your ignorance...
"The US drone programme, ...has reportedly killed 2,200 people in Pakistan (August 2011 tally), including 168 children among at least 385 civilians and non-combatants."
What part of this simple sentence you could understand???
We tend to believe in all sorts of conspiracy theories but forget this fact that whatever we say, we gave opportunity to the enemies of US to use our land and attack them. This alone is enough reason to attack back and destroy them here within our lands. Additionally US has successfully destablised the region to its long term security advantage. Pakistan is also very much on the brink of anarchy. The US has succeeded in this process and they see no evil by continuing to destablise this region further in the name of freedom and liberty for the people. China and Russia are resisting this effort but are very much reluctant to act. The whole middle east is made unstable in the name of meaningless revolutions. No doubt liberties and freedoms are good for mankind, but I doubt all these revolutions will bring about any liberal governments in Arabs countries in this century. Pakistan will continue to suffer unless its governments come out of its shell and realise its geopolitical status for long term betterment for the country rather short term aid.
Under UNSC 1373 Pakistan has the binding sovereign obligation to root out terrorists, terror havens, and terror-training camps from areas under its control. No action to do so in a particular territory (like N. Wazirstan) means that as far as terrorists go Pakistan has no sovereignty. Thus Pakistani complaints about actions others take against terrorists on "Pakistani" territory meet few if any ears willing to listen at the U.N. - and none at all in D.C.
I repeat this over and over because it isn't fair that Pakistanis be kept in the dark as to why their nation is thought of so poorly by other peoples.
Before Nov election President Obama need to repeat the riot act to Pakistan Either you are with us or agaisnt us" or a phone call equivalent to that made by Colin Powell that we will bomb you to stone ages. Drones are equivalent to boming to stone age as the area they are boming is in stone age. There is no industry, they have blown up all schools for girls so a generation is lost with no education, no one visits them, they are killing red cross worker. This is stone age.
The comments here by people like Aamir scream "saving face" was a waste and what really needs to be done is have someone speak out about breeding with close relatives.
"when the country involved consents", exactly this is the problem.First it was Mush who sold out for peanuts and then came Zardari and company who consented to the killing of their own citizens unless FATA is not part of Pakistan.My late dad used to tell me in Mardan that if our chicken lays eggs in the neighbor house, it is not the fault of our neighbor but our chicken. Precisely it is the fault of Pakistanis who has allowed the foreign countries to interfere and dictate for decades for what but some measly miserly dollars which is siphoned off by the Army, bureaucrats and above all the politicians. Remember what Gilani has said to the US ambassador at a closed door meeting, he has consented and now are shedding crocodile tears because the elections are coming. They know that they are the ones who allowed Americans to kill Pakistani citizens for the last 4 years in cahoots with General Kiyani. For Americans there is no turning back specially for Obama who is on thin ice because of the precarious American economy, he wants to show the electorate how macho commander in chief he is. Shame on this duo in Islamabad and also those sitting in the NA as well in Senate.
BLACKMAILING....another tactic by US to resume NATO supply.... Drone attacks are happening for many years now, why US suddenly started justifying it as legal... Pakistanis don't trust you anymore..
@Aamir: Your theory seems atrocious to say the least..So these are so called victims of drone attacks who become suicide bombers are brave?? if so, why do go they go blow-up civilians instead of targetting US soldiers..it can't get more stupid..US drone kills your near ones and you end up blowing up mosques other public places and in the process kill innocent civilians including children..
"I wish, the inept and impotent politicians in Pakistan show some courage and instruct PAK army to shoot at these drones if they ever enter PAK airspace"..
Lol..so if an IAF war plane enter pak airspace, will the pak army follow the standard protocols of engaging the enemy intrusion or wait for politicians to give them go ahead..and l thought last time Kayani already gave the go ahead to shoot down drones? The reality is it happens with the complicity of army..period.
@Roflcopter: 168 deaths of children is regrettable. But it is far less than the 40000 civilians including 5000 security personnel killed by these terrorists.
Imran Khan and PTI can stop Drone attacks. Only hope IK. IK will shot them down. Please elect IK as PM.
contradict statement as "abiding the law to no international law", they got audacity to declare or justify drone attacks as in UK Mr Cameron standing besides James Hunt and giving clarification on BSky bid???????? we need to wake up and free our mind
Ch. Usman Ali, you're right drone attacks have not killed a single innocent person
Sure drone attacks are legal just like Iraq was, just like Guantanamo Bay is. Taliban were legal in 19080's then illegal in 2001 and now when the US is entering peace talks it again plans to request UN to take Taliban off blacklist and make them legal. For the US, if the say so day will be declared night, and night will be declared dead. Hypocrites, then they cry and wonder why the world doesnt like and respect them! Drone attacks are as helpful to US in the long term as Iraq and Afghan war has been. Forget millitants these people are their own worse enemies!!!
The US has been giving billions of dollars to the generals and politicians who have been playing a double game with the US and with the people of Pakistan.
Killing people without due process is illegal, regardless of the circumstances. Its that simple.
Do we have any capacity to go to Waziresthan and take care of terrorists?
Hoar chuupo. The army and agency should stop playing their double game. Taking dollars from the Americans and supporting jihadi terrorists at the same time. Mr Busharraf should be thanked for this.
@Ch. Usman Ali: I really hope that you and your family starts living in North Waziristan soon... may be then you will realize .... watch out man before you say stupid logic
shoot them down.
@Kanwal: well said
Ch. Usman Ali, you're right drone attacks have not killed single innocent person, I bet the 168 children killed were elite Al Qaeda operatives
@ Aamir, "First of all, US is not doing any favor to Pakistan by killing so called terrorists (or rogue elements), don’t forget, it was US who dragged Pakistan into this mess due to which poor Pakistanis are paying the cost. "
And US put a gun on "Poor" Pakistan's head to drag into this. Admit it, you jumped into this willingly for dollars and free arms. Now live with it!!
@Ch. Usman Ali and Mirza At some point, you guys will grow up and realize that you fight fire with fire ONLY in songs! In the real world, you dont do it ever. Or you are called a fool. Wrong can not be made right by responding with wrong: it just creates a vicious circle.
Wise, legal and just, eh? They are about as wise and legal as Bush, Blair & Co. were. Besides, I hope they remember that there is nothing in the international law that stops the target country from responding severely. We might not have as much expertise as Iran to bring down the drones. But we do have fighter jets and pilots, dont we?
@Ch. Usman Ali,
First of all, US is not doing any favor to Pakistan by killing so called terrorists (or rogue elements), don't forget, it was US who dragged Pakistan into this mess due to which poor Pakistanis are paying the cost. Pakistan should be calling on UN to force US to stop these attacks immediately.
Drone attacks have helped increased the militancy in Pakistan, suicide bombers are not coming from neighboring countries. Unfortunately these are our own people who lost their loved ones by drone attacks.
I wish, the inept and impotent politicians in Pakistan show some courage and instruct PAK army to shoot at these drones if they ever enter PAK airspace.
I wonder if the people commenting above would be so pro drone strike if their kith and kin were decimated by one of those drones for no reason except being in the wrong place at the wrong time
Drone attacks have hellped Pakistan more than hurting her. Please someone check the numbers, None of the innocents have been killed in these strikes. We have killed more of our brothers and sisters in auicide attracks in Pakistan. If not more, we should be thankfull to the United States for doing our dirty job by eliminating the rogue elements off our homeland. Asa far as the legal issue, I can bet you that our government has blessed these attacks
I think pakistan should shot it down because there is no international law to not to shoot them down.