Drone attacks in Pakistan

[glo]

I am starting this thread to raise awareness and understanding of the drone attacks in Pakistan and how it is affecting people and their ordinary lives.

I know these threads can get heated and angry very quickly - because it is hard to see the injustice and the pain others are suffering, and at the same time feeling helpless about it.

I am hoping this thread won't become like this, and will instead be a place were we can learn about the situation, pray for the people involved and hopefully find positive ways of becoming active ourselves, raise awareness and help.

Here is an article I found. Please add your own.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/25/drone-attacks-pakistan-counterproductive-report

The study by Stanford and New York universities' law schools, based on interviews with victims, witnesses and experts, blames the US president, Barack Obama, for the escalation of "signature strikes" in which groups are selected merely through remote "pattern of life" analysis.

[...]

"The dominant narrative about the use of drones in Pakistan is of a surgically precise and effective tool that makes the US safer by enabling 'targeted killings' of terrorists, with minimal downsides or collateral impacts. This narrative is false," the report, entitled Living Under Drones, states.

The authors admit it is difficult to obtain accurate data on casualties "because of US efforts to shield the drone programme from democratic accountability, compounded by obstacles to independent investigation of strikes in North Waziristan".

[...]

The "best available information", they say, is that between 2,562 and 3,325 people have been killed in Pakistan between June 2004 and mid-September this year – of whom between 474 and 881 were civilians, including 176 children. The figures have been assembled by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, which estimated that a further 1,300 individuals were injured in drone strikes over that period.

[...]

"US drones hover 24 hours a day over communities in north-west Pakistan, striking homes, vehicles, and public spaces without warning," the American law schools report says.

"Their presence terrorises men, women, and children, giving rise to anxiety and psychological trauma among civilian communities. Those living under drones have to face the constant worry that a deadly strike may be fired at any moment, and the knowledge that they are powerless to protect themselves.

"These fears have affected behaviour. The US practice of striking one area multiple times, and evidence that it has killed rescuers, makes both community members and humanitarian workers afraid or unwilling to assist injured victims."

 

[sister herb]

Unfortunately I haven´t very much knowledge about situation in Pakistan but I think Pakistanis in those areas under 24 h conrol of drones feel in they daily life quite same than Gazans. I wonder this:

"US drones hover 24 hours a day over communities in north-west Pakistan, striking homes, vehicles, and public spaces without warning," the American law schools report says.

"Their presence terrorises men, women, and children, giving rise to anxiety and psychological trauma among civilian communities. Those living under drones have to face the constant worry that a deadly strike may be fired at any moment, and the knowledge that they are powerless to protect themselves.

"These fears have affected behaviour. The US practice of striking one area multiple times, and evidence that it has killed rescuers, makes both community members and humanitarian workers afraid or unwilling to assist injured victims."

What if Americans should live they everydays like that way - never knowing what happens in next second. Would they understand better situation in Pakistan for example?

Or would they just vote yes for new military operations (whats also are called as wars in somewhere very far from they homes)?

 

[Periwinkle18]

Just pray i found out tht there was another drone attack in which duno how many civilians n children were martyred may Allah protect us frm all kinds of evils ameen I wish and pray with all my might that those involved in the drone attacks end up in the depths of hell and burn for eternity. Ameen

 

[Periwinkle18]

oh noo drone attack on a madressa 18 martyred

 

[Periwinkle18]

 

[glo]

What if Americans should live they everydays like that way - never knowing what happens in next second. Would they understand better situation in Pakistan for example?

I think it's one of the problems.
NONE of us in the Western world (whether US or Europe) have any idea of what it must be like to live with those daily threats. What it would be like to have to risk your life every time you go out into the street ...

I can see the pictures or news footage, but yet - if I am honest - I can only begin to imagine what it must be like for people.

However, I also think that there are many people who are against the involvement of allied forces in general and the drone attacks in particular. Again, the media don't really talk about those people. You often have to look in the right places to find them.

Hopefully, as we spread information and raise awareness, people will come to understand and the general opinion will change. (Out of interest, I checked in fb and found dozens of groups speaking out against the drone attacks. I know not everybody like fb, but it is a good platform to reach a lot of people!)

And of course, if we cannot do anything else, we should pray, pray, and PRAY some more for the people in Pakistan and other places.

 

[Hulk]

It really tells me how they view the lives of others as..

 

[tigerkhan]

well i have been to all this area during my study at Peshawar university. i still have many uni friends from these area. these ppl (waziristani) they are not very politically aware to raise their voice to world and they are very simple ppl.even i am sure 70% of them cant take a photo from camera to show world what is happening to them. the only crime they have done is to fight for sovereign Afghanistan and Islamic system is Afghanistan.
the victims of drone attacks i assume is much more than whats is mentioned above. and honestly speaking much ratio is women and children. reason bcz drone is a targeted attack for single person (its much precise in position and direction). but when u came to know ur target is at (let suppose house # 11) and u hit that house, it will kill one target and 20 other ppl in home who r definitely women and children bcz i know in a typical wazirstani family 8-10 children is normal and mostly they have combined family system). very rare drone hit a target in a car or van and only target with other 1-2 ppl killed but its very rare (yes drone can hit targeted moving car). Mostly they hit houses, madrasa (islamic school) or hujra (guest house) and thus kill hundred of innocent. i still remember there was drone attack in Mahmand agency on madrassa and that kills more that 80 children studying there. the situation is much more that one can imagine and whole generation in that area is ruined by this war. shame on u America. they champion of hypocrisy and injustice.

 

[YusufNoor]

beginning next year there WILL be drone attacks in America, if not worse.

:wa:

 

[sister herb]

^o) What you might mean?

 

[YusufNoor]

they already kill US citizens who were never charged with or convicted of any crime with drones. beginning next year, the Gestapo, excuse me, "Homeland Security" will deploy the first of 30,000 drones in the US.

Americans are brainwashed, but it's already happened outside the USA, ooops, the Former USA:

:wa:

 

[sister herb]

Shouldn´t we try to stop killing anyone by drones, not continue hating, generalization and killing more?

^o)

 

[YusufNoor]

Shouldn´t we try to stop killing anyone by drones, not continue hating, generalization and killing more?

^o)

in the US, states, cities and counties are corporations. these corporations are run by a few oligarchs, who now control those corporations without regard to individuals or individual rights. these people now control the Supreme Court, which is moving the rights once held by individuals over to the "states" as individuals. so any rights "we the people" once had, now belong to the government entities. these newly classified "individuals" only care about profit and greed. humans that aren't part of the oligarchy no longer matter. killing is good business for them, they acquire wealth through the making of arms, acquiring property and putting the rest of us in their debt [through making money, lending money and controlling the value of money].

it isn't and us vrs them [them being other people], it's corporation nation vrs people. Americans assist the under the delusion of patriotism, but they are not "defending America," they are instead assisting those corporations in making $$$$$. these corporations are now so "global" that they no longer need Americans. America will soon be caught in the same destructive vice and most of the rest of the world. and i'm pretty sure Americans will "hate" it when that happens...

as it is already, they are poisoning Americans with their water [fluoride], poisoning the air with chemtrails, manipulating the weather with chemtrails [putting farmers out of business, making money by insuring land they then destroy] and turning medicine into a petro chemical diet of poison, while converting the food supply to GMOs. the water, food, air and medicine have been poisoned and they are stealing everyone's wealth. AND NO ONE IS NOTICING!!!!

pretty soon, we'll be "back in Kansas," or rather "what's left" of Kansas.

:wa:

 

[joesixpack]

in the US, states, cities and counties are corporations. these corporations are run by a few oligarchs, who now control those corporations without regard to individuals or individual rights. these people now control the Supreme Court, which is moving the rights once held by individuals over to the "states" as individuals. so any rights "we the people" once had, now belong to the government entities. these newly classified "individuals" only care about profit and greed. humans that aren't part of the oligarchy no longer matter. killing is good business for them, they acquire wealth through the making of arms, acquiring property and putting the rest of us in their debt [through making money, lending money and controlling the value of money].

it isn't and us vrs them [them being other people], it's corporation nation vrs people. Americans assist the under the delusion of patriotism, but they are not "defending America," they are instead assisting those corporations in making $$$$$. these corporations are now so "global" that they no longer need Americans. America will soon be caught in the same destructive vice and most of the rest of the world. and i'm pretty sure Americans will "hate" it when that happens...

as it is already, they are poisoning Americans with their water [fluoride], poisoning the air with chemtrails, manipulating the weather with chemtrails [putting farmers out of business, making money by insuring land they then destroy] and turning medicine into a petro chemical diet of poison, while converting the food supply to GMOs. the water, food, air and medicine have been poisoned and they are stealing everyone's wealth. AND NO ONE IS NOTICING!!!!

pretty soon, we'll be "back in Kansas," or rather "what's left" of Kansas.

:wa:

You were on a roll until you hit the part about fluroidation of water and chemtrails. I agree fully with the first two paragraphs.

 

[White Rose]

You were on a roll until you hit the part about fluroidation of water and chemtrails. I agree fully with the first two paragraphs.

Just curious, why do you disagree with that part?

 

[joesixpack]

Just curious, why do you disagree with that part?

Fluoridation of water in North America has lead to a significant improvement in dental health, and there have actually been no negative side effects. In fact, in much of the US, well water has naturally occurring fluoride. This is how public health workers first discovered the benefits of fluoride. Chemtrails are a baseless conspiracy theory. There has been absolutely nothing to indicate that condensation trails from aircraft are anything but hot exhaust from the burning of fuel.

It is important to separate the wheat from the chaff when you hear all the anti-government and anti-corporate conspiracy theories. There are real threats to your freedom and health, and there are just plain old baseless conspiracy theories. People aren't being abducted by UFOs, the Bermuda Triangle is no more dangerous to fly over than any other stretch of ocean, and there's no Loch Ness Monster.

 

[joesixpack]

Oh, and law enforcement agencies ARE IN FACT beginning to use drones over the US. I'll try and find a link to the info.

 

[joesixpack]

Sorry, I can't post a link, :embarrassbut you can google "US law enforcement using drones"

 

[YusufNoor]

You were on a roll until you hit the part about fluroidation of water and chemtrails. I agree fully with the first two paragraphs.

maybe a little less time drinkin' and a little more time lookin'!

fluoride that is put into our drinking water is not pharmaceutical grade fluoride, it is the toxic chemical waste from phosphate fertilizer manufacturing. it destroys your brain and weakens your body. watch this:

if that is too long for you:

the best video on chemtrails is this one:

peace!

 

[YusufNoor]

Sorry, I can't post a link, :embarrassbut you can google "US law enforcement using drones"