Pentagon officials cannot ignore the civilian harm and the counterproductive impact much longer.
ISLAMABAD: The recently-concluded ‘peace march’ to the tribal areas by Imran Khan was aimed at protesting the nine-year-old US drone campaign in the Waziristan region. An anti-drone group called Codepink, which includes 32 Americans, also joined Mr Khan’s convoy in Pakistan to protest the civilian deaths that occur in the aerial strikes against the Taliban. They have called the attacks “barbaric assassinations”. Nonetheless, the US remains oblivious to all these protests/demonstrations and continues with its policy of dealing with terrorism through military means only. Drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas are one of the most contentious issues in the current challenges that mar Pakistan-US relations. Those living under the threat of drones have to face the constant worry that a deadly strike may be fired at them at any moment, inflicting deep-rooted feelings of helplessness coupled with an inability to protect themselves from this menace. As the drones are capable of striking the same target again and again, therefore its presence terrorises men, women, and children, giving rise to anxiety and psychological trauma among civilian communities. The daily routine of life has been grossly disturbed.
The main objective of the anti-war groups is to throw a spotlight on the US drone attack strategy, which Pakistan opposes as they violate the country’s sovereignty and often kill civilians. In the light of serious concerns, Washington must conduct a fundamental re-evaluation of this strategy, taking into account all available evidence, as well as the concerns of various stakeholders of the area. Pentagon officials cannot ignore the civilian harm and the counterproductive impact much longer. Besides, violating the code of ethics encourages other countries to replicate US practices, which makes Americans vulnerable.
Imran Saeed
Published in The Express Tribune, October 25th, 2012.
