Say goodbye to drone attacks

Despite complaints from Islamabad that the drone strikes not only violate its sovereignty but also result in scores of collateral deaths, the US is showing callousness in continuing its policy of exterminating al Qaeda element through military might only. The eighth drone strike since a NATO conference on Afghanistan in Chicago last month, killed 15 insurgents on June 4, 2012. Pakistan has lodged a protest with Washington over a string of recent drone attacks which is against international law and a violation of Pakistan’s sovereignty. According to Bureau of Investigative Journalism (BIJ), some 2,300 people killed in 297 drone strikes from 2004-2011, between 392 and 781 appear to have been civilians; 175 were children. Undoubtedly, it has resulted in the elimination of the top al Qaeda leadership and weakening of its organisational structure and coordination capacities, but thousands of innocent Pakistani civilians became subject to the indiscriminate killings.
Drone attacks in Pakistan’s tribal areas are one of the contentious issues in the current standoff between Pakistan and the United States. The US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has recently responded to Pakistan’s demand by saying that the use of drones is essential for defending the Americans. Drones’ proponents argue that since they have significant surveillance capacity and great precision, there have been no civilian casualties for the last one year. Nonetheless, this claim of Obama’s chief counter-terrorism adviser, John Brennan, drew indignation from various quarters.
On the other side, attacking militants on the soil of a long time US ally, is strongly resented because the drones kill hundreds of innocent civilians along with few militants, causing widespread resentment against the Americans. This will force the moderate element to join the ranks of radicals to avenge the deaths of their dear ones killed in the drone attacks. While questioning the legal status of using unmanned aircraft, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has termed drone attacks a clear violation of human rights. Robert Grenier, who headed the CIA’s counter-terrorism centre from 2004-2006 has warned that President Obama’s controversial drone programme is far too indiscriminate in hitting targets and could lead to such political instability that it creates terrorist safe havens.
The killing of civilians by drones has fuelled anti-American sentiment, especially in Pakistan. The Pakistan’s parliamentary committee has taken a stern and principled stance to oppose NATO’s war in Pakistan by blocking the use of unmanned aircrafts inside settled areas of Pakistan. Only by so doing will Pakistan be able to win the sympathy and support of the Pakistani people – a support without which all its efforts in containing the militants will become an exercise in futility. Accepting the ground realities, it is high time for the drones’ proponents to say goodbye to drone attacks.
ARHAM ASLAM
Islamabad