WASHINGTON:
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has demanded that the US Justice Department release all documents pertaining to the drone programme.
Reacting to John Brennan’s statement, Deputy Legal Director Jameel Jaffer said it was ‘an unambiguous acknowledgement’ and the ‘clearest explanation’ thus far of the programme’s purported legal basis; however he was not convinced beyond that.
“Brennan supplies legal conclusions, not legal analysis. We continue to believe that the administration should release the Justice Department memos underlying the programme – particularly the memo that authorises the extrajudicial killing of American terrorism suspects. And the administration should release the evidence it relied on to conclude that an American citizen, Anwar al-Aulaqi, could be killed without charge, trial, or judicial process of any kind,” Jaffer said.
ACLU Director National Security Project Hina Shamsi added that the organisation continued to believe that the programme itself is not just unlawful but dangerous.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 1st, 2012.
COMMENTS (10)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
Oh Drone my love keep up your good work until you finish the last terrorist. We support your campaign for humanity.
@Asad: @kanwal: @elementary:
I am not justifying killing of innocents. My only point here is that the theory that innocent collateral deaths create suicide bombers is not correct. Many suicide bombings have been on sectarian or ethnic lines. Crowded markets and even funerals have been targeted. I agree, sitting in USA I may not feel the pain as Pakistanis do nor may be fully aware of the ground realities. However, it does not appeal to my logic that the above theory is correct. This theory would have been correct if only NATO or US forces were targeted. Propagating this theory itself may encourage suicide attacks, particularly if done by influential / popular mullas and politicians. Suicide bombers do not become so due to the grief they suffer as a result of loss of their loved ones. They are systematically groomed and trained. Some may even have been coerced and compelled also. Some terror organizations have boasted of having a force of 10000 suicide bombers. One Mulla took 1500 children to Afghanistan and none returned.
Stop killing humanity
@Raj - USA: I would agree with Asad and Kanwal emphatically.You have absolutely no inkling what's happening on the ground ,but you want to continue supporting the killings.
@Roflcopter: but when these rights groups yell over human rights abuses in china , pakistan etc...they are angels...whoa.. .,
@Raj-USA Really? You want to read the Pakistani local media very carefully. If you have nt got time, search Google scholor and you will be able to find numerous well respected academics' work. Its easy to sit in USA and bomb people even without a trial. Thats a crime in every possible definition. And i am flabbergasted on your saying you have nt seen a suicide bomber resulting from drones. That says a lot about you, you know. Pls do some independent research first.
@Raj - USA: you base your comments on you naive understanding of the situation and have no clue whatsoever about the ground realities. Have you interviewed all of the suicide bombers? Give me one reason that qualifies you to judge or comment on what inspires us Pakistanis. As for the rights groups if Pakistan can bring forward the victims and show the devastation inflicted on hundreds of civilians they might bring some attention and hope to this plight.
The often repeated claim is that the those who have lost their loved ones in the drone attacks have become suicide bombers. Interestingly, no suicide bomber has ever to date been identified as having become a suicide bomber after loosing his loved one in drone attacks. Most suicide bombings have been found to be targeting victims on a sectarian or ethnic basis and targeting even funeral processions. In a country where Tsunami inspires, such theories shall flourish.
Amazing how the ACLU will defend Pakistanis, but some here rejoice every time a drone attack occurs.
If I didn't already know those groups are attention seekers first and foremost and concerned bleeding hearts second, it might mean something.