US guidelines on drone attacks

Best thing Pakistan could do is admit to its complicity in drone attacks rather than propagandising against them.

US President Barack Obama, despite vowing to run the most transparent administration ever, has exempted himself from that standard when it comes to the war on terror. He has even managed to outdo the secrecy of his predecessor, George W Bush, expanding the use of drone strikes manifold while using the excuse of national security to shut down any public discussion or court challenges on their legality. Now, President Obama is trying to codify the use of drones and other methods of targeted killing by preparing a counterterrorism manual that will lay down the parameters of this controversial policy. Drone attacks in Pakistan, however, have been exempted from the guidelines. This is a clear case of expediency taking precedence over principle. President Obama has made drone attacks in Pakistan the centerpiece of his anti-terrorism strategy but also wants to shield their dubious legality from scrutiny. It would be far better for both countries if debate about drones was as public as possible.



At the same time, Pakistan should resist using this new counterterrorism manual to paint itself the victim. First, there is the fact that, despite its public protests against drone attacks, Pakistan has secretly acquiesced to the use of drones in tribal areas. Then, we also need to recognise that the only reason drones need to be deployed is that we have refused to target militants ourselves. Our hesitancy to take on the Haqqani Network and the Afghan Taliban has all but guaranteed the continuation of drone attacks.

The best thing Pakistan could possibly do is finally admit to its complicity in drone attacks rather than propagandising against them in public while recognising the need for them in private. Apart from the sheer distastefulness of such hypocrisy, it could allow us to finally stop blaming outsiders for our woes and recognise our own role in this unfortunate situation. The war on militancy will continue to be fought, with or without us. By publicly acknowledging the part we are playing in this war, we will also end up with greater leverage in determining its course and outcome. That in itself would be worth the short period of outrage that will follow after we admit that we are partners with the US on drone attacks.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd, 2013.