The US president had mounted a firm defence of his covert drone war as legal. PHOTO: FILE
The US president mounted a firm defence of his covert drone war as legal and just in a major speech on counterterrorism policy on Thursday but warned that undisciplined use of the tactic would invite abuses of power.
Islamabad said it welcomed some aspects of Obama's address, particularly his acknowledgement that "force alone cannot make us safe", but it remained firm on its long-held public stance on unmanned missile attacks in its tribal northwest.
"The Government of Pakistan has consistently maintained that the drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives, have human rights and humanitarian implications and violate the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law," the foreign ministry said in a statement.
Obama said he had approved new guidelines stating that drone strikes can only be used to prevent imminent attacks and when the capture of a suspect is not feasible and if there is a "near certainty" that civilians will not be killed.
According to Britain's Bureau of Investigative Journalism, CIA drone attacks in Pakistan have killed up to 3,587 people since 2004, up to 884 of them civilians.
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It has been described by some concerned quarters, there is nothing new as a strategy or framworke, it is old wine in new bottle with disputed lable.
Pakistan should join habds with Narendra Modi to fight this injustice
Pakistan, the main focus of the strikes, has reiterated its view that drones are "counter-productive".Pakistan is true in its stance,drones not only violation of international law but also counter productive,but no care United States increased pakistan difficulties by continuously attacking the drones. Pakistan paid millions to the faimlilies of those innocents killed during predator drone attacks and faced people reaction in the form of processions. Many part of the country unrest still stand as a protest.if we go deep then come to the conclusion that former government had to face a tremendous hate of popular will and economic crisis because as a poor country it could not face so much long war.
Obama's strategy is not understandable,perhaps he want to tell the Americans that he has won the war in terror and now coming back in 2014 from the land locked country Afghanistan.
@Mikaail:
its also embarrasing that our country is hosting banned militant outfits that brazenly fight our security forces and our politicians dont condemn them. or that they make videos of beheaedinng our soldiers and gloat over how they have killed a kafir army. lets keep things in perspective. the US will continue to launch drone strikes, wrongly or rightly, into pakistan until it doesnt figure out how to deal with stopping people in a very remote part of the country where access to ground or military operations otherwise is nearly impossible.
Pakistan misuses every opportunity. Pakistan should have wholeheartedly and enthusiastically supported US drone strikes, instead of opposing in public and supporting in private. Had Pakistan done so, it could have wiped out all terrorists from its territory without US boots on its soil.
Ask your Chacha China to use VITO power in SC .Drones is a device which America can not operate alone . It is an international device being operated by a team of Experts at Nevada, may be experts from India and Pakistan . then how it is violating international law? It is my sincere advice to all good Pakistani that....
Google is conducting power survey go and participate and forget Kashmir and Drones for the time being . Let the goodwill prevail with all including the Monster.. The America .
The US president mounted a firm defence of his covert drone war as legal and just in a major speech on counterterrorism policy on Thursday but warned that undisciplined use of the tactic would invite abuses of power.
Diplomacy has been adopted saying many things that are totally unacceptable.It is wrongly stated that the war is legal why he selected the word war?should used the word drone strikes being done on the civilians including women and children and other innocent people.
Vide the report of the Emmerson representative of the United Nations,who in its report described drone attacks illegal and violation of international law.
In fact, America is not a dependable friend,Americans gives no value to other country's sovereignity or stability they protacts their interests natonal and international.
State Depart,has made some ammendments in the drone strategy but no ban imposed on its use against the country's svereignity,they should keep in mind at the time its using that it is open violation of global law enacted by the world nations it needs respect and honoure.
Obama's speech wasn't asking Pakistan's permission - it was pointing out to the American public that drones are an unfortunate last resort because countries like Pakistan harbor terrorist and using special ops raids (like the OBL) have more political downside than their worth. . Pakistan has a reputation as the nexus of terrorism - the country where budding terrorist travel to for training - where seasoned terrorist flee to for sanctuary. The solution to drone attacks has always been obvious - stop allowing terrorist sanctuary.
If it's illegal then doesn't that make it more embarrassing for our Government? The fact that our country is being invaded and our Govt. and the military can't do anything about it? Why does our Government embarrass itself by giving these futile and meaningless statements. Everyone knows the mutuality of this deal behind closed doors.
"""Pakistan remains opposed to drones after Obama speech""",, so?
I think Obama should realise that the figure of 3,587 is much biggar than 2000 killed in Gujrat violence.
if drones are killing - eliminating those who demolish schools and shot at kids, then I heartily welcome drones to help safe lives of Pakistanis.
US (USA) has been using the fake and propaganda war on terror, media to safeguard each allied or so called allied mutual interests beyond boundaries, working on mutual agenda and surreptitious compromises, without respect for diversity, culture and traditions, social and moral values, law and faith basically is the death of global integrity, justice, mutual respect and entire humanity……. considered wrong move to resolve petty issues of global security, globalization and extending borders. I am afraid… that US is getting crazy day by day…..instead of spending billions of dollars ($) for decades long on promulgating enmity, conflicts and unnecessary crazy wars around..… why they don’t…… spend a minor percentage of that public taxes of billions dollars ($) on promoting Education, skills, socio-economic development, culture, human resource development, poverty and health sectors and justice. Why they don’t look for peaceful and justified solution of Kashmir, Palestine, Iraq and Afghanistan problems or injustices which are the root cause of so called terrorism ……instead of adopting negative attitude and self-created unnecessary propaganda wars for the survival of the fattest.
Those who are opposing seems don't like to know the ground realities of these surgical strikes. Who are providing them targets from ground? Are they Americans, Afghans, Indians or our own Pakistani Intelligence spies. You are fooling the nation FM and you know these drone strikes are important for Pakistan survival and yet playing double game.
Disgusting.
I'm pretty sure the families of the innocent Pakistanis murdered by Mr. Bush and Mr. Obama, are still starving for a little justice for the loves ones stolen from them.
Shame on the USA for these atrocious war crimes it commits globally, and shame on us Pakistanis for selling the lives of our people and making their blood cheap.
Why would the international community respect Pakistan? When we don't even respect our own people.
“The Government of Pakistan has consistently maintained that the drone strikes are counter-productive, entail loss of innocent civilian lives, have human rights and humanitarian implications and violate the principles of national sovereignty, territorial integrity and international law,” that awkward moment when your government says this blah blah blah