Pakistan claims drone strikes violate their sovereignty

Excuse the pun but Pakistan drones on and on about this issue. Parliament has even passed a motion that the attacks must stop. However they haven't. There was a pause after the U.S. killed a couple of dozen Pakistani troops on the Afghan border but that was all. They have resumed.
It seems obvious that at least until the pause there was tacit agreement within the Pakistani government and military concering the drone attacks. In fact Pakistani intelligence probably helped with targeting.
However, the issue seems to be taken more seriously now after two drone strikes killed at least 15 people in South Waziristan. The Pakistani government was quick to deny that it was involved. The government says it was not consulted at all with respect to any recent strikes.
The Pakistani government claims that they warned the U.S. to stop carrying out the strikes. The Pakistani ambassador Sherry Rehman said they told the U.S. this on March 9 after strikes that killed 13 people.
Foreign Office spokesperson Abdul Basit that there was no question that the drone attacks violated Pakistan' sovereignty. He said:"Pakistan has been using all diplomatic channels to bring an end to the strikes that are damaging our efforts against militancy and terrorism. Voices are also being raised in the West against these illegal drone strike," But all that has happened is that drone attacks have resumed. Basit did not talk of shooting down the drones as an option.
By continuing the attacks the U.S. puts the Pakistan government in an almost impossible position. They must complain about them as a political necessity. However, they are dependent upon the U.S. for aid and have not shown any willingness to really confront the U.S. except by verbiage that makes them look more silly and ineffective by the day. They will pay come the next election. For more see this article.

Pakistan demands that U.S. stop drone attacks

At least this is so according to Bloomberg's Business Week. The report is based upon statements by anonymous U.S. officials.According to the article the officials must remain anonymous because the drone program is classified. I doubt that the officials would want to reveal who they are in any event when they are reporting on ongoing talks!

The use of drones has been a key part of Obama's counter terror strategy especially in the tribal areas of Pakistan. Pakistan's ambassador to the U.S. Sherry Rehman met with Antony Blinken national security adviser on March 9. She told him that Pakistan's political parties agree that the drone flights must end. The parliament actually passed a motion demanding the drone attacks end ages ago. After a pause of several months they are now happening again.

The drone attacks are seen as a violation of Pakistani airspace as well as being responsible for the deaths of many civilians as collateral damage. Public opinion is heavily in favor of ending the missions.

The attacks are unlikely to end. The U.S. provided 4.4 billion dollars in aid in 2010. This aid can be used as leverage to force Pakistan into some sort of explicit or implicit agreement that the attacks continue

Pakistan is pressing for an agreement that would have the U.S. agree to share intelligence about the strikes and carry out the attacks only in coordination with the Pakistani military and intelligence. So far the U.S. has refused to give information to Pakistan fearing that targets might be forewarned of attacks. This complete lack of trust makes the situation even worse.

In spite of the questionable legality let alone morality of the drone attacks, Obama has greatly increased their use compared to Bush. In 2008 under Bush there were only 35 attacks. Under Obama there were 117 in 2010.

Pakistan has constantly complained of the attacks but secretly approved them and even helped with targeting. However relations now are very strained. The killing of Bin Laden with no coordination or prior notice to Pakistan is one irritant. The killing of 2 Pakistanis by a CIA contractor is another. Finally there was the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in a border incident. This time the Pakistani's may be serious. Personally, I doubt that the U.S. will agree to stop the attacks. However, having another tacit agreement may be politically difficult for Pakistani politicians. For more see this article.

Second Drone attack in Four Days Kills Nine

This is from wired.

The media simply does not discuss the legality of drone attacks under international law. Apparently it is neither here nor there that the US attacks in ways that are against international law. However one would think that a policy that kills people simply because they are suspected terrorists without benefit of trial and often accompanied by the killing of innocents might give people pause even on simple ethical considerations. There seems considerable discussion of the ethics of torture but little about this.
Even when torture is discussed it is often in the context of whether it works. If it works to save the lives of some Americans apparently that would settle the issue! Why golly gee euthanising old people would work to save huge amounts in the health care system. Lets adopt that as a policy.
The slaughter caused by drone attacks pales compared to the slaughter caused by the Pakistani armed forces using air power and artillery to attack Taliban held areas in the Swat Valley not to mention the humanitarian disaster caused by the internal displacement of citizens as they flee the fighting.

Second Drone Attack in Four Days Kills Nine
By Noah Shachtman
May 12, 2009
According to the Washington Post, the Obama administration last month cut back on the CIA’s drone attacks inside Pakistan, because of the political problems the unmanned strikes were causing the government of President Asif Ali Zardari.
Some cutback. For the second time in four days, U.S. killer drones have struck in Pakistan. The latest attack — the 18th reported just this year — killed nine people and wounded four others, Pakistani intelligence officials tell CNN.
The strike took place not far from the town of Wana, in the tribal region of South Waziristan. It’s a “known Taliban and al-Qaeda hub,” according to Pakistan’s Dawn newspaper. And it’s “the main stomping ground of Maulvi Nazir, a key Taliban commander accused by the United States of recruiting and sending fighters to Afghanistan to attack US and NATO forces.” (You may recall Nazir from his April broadcast, dissiminated by Al-Qaeda’s media arm, in which he called President Barack Obama a “black ass.” Since then, his crew has been visited by the CIA’s friendly Predator outreach team at least twice.)
Meanwhile, Pakistani military officials claim to have killed more than 750 militants during intense ground combat against the Taliban. (U.S. officials say that figure is “wildly exaggerated.”)
The Paksitani public is also showing signs of becoming fed up with the extremists. According to a March poll taken by the International Republican Institute, 69% now agree with “the Taliban and Al Qaeda operating in Pakistan is a serious problem” — up from 45% in June. Still, only 10% think terrorism is the most important issues facing the country; 46% said “inflation.” And only 24% support “the U.S. military making incursions in the tribal areas” to take out the militants. And 61% still do not believe that Pakistan should cooperate with the U.S. “on its war against terror.”
One wonders how the American approach to Pakistan might change, with a new military commander for the region. Gen David McKiernan, the outgoing top general, was always very clear that “as a NATO commander, my mandate stops at the [Afghan] border. So unless there is a clear case of self-protection to fire across the border, we don’t consider any operations across the border in the tribal areas.” But incoming chief Lt. Gen. Stanley McChrystal has a long history in special operations. Which means secretive raids, cooperation with three-letter agencies — and, perhaps, a different view of how sacrosanct borders really are.
[Photo: USAF]

Pakistan: Militants threaten to scrap peace accord.

This is from the news.jang.com.
I didn't realise there was a peace accord in this region. In other regions such as Bajaur the Pakistani military is on the offensive. Anyway the US does not like or want peace accords and won't honor them nor will it honor Pakistani sovereignty as it claims.
The situation in Pakistan seems to be detiorating both economically and in terms of security. No matter who wins the US presidency things are unlikely to change since there is bipartisan agreement on pursuing the same hegemonic foreign policy as Bush.

Militants threaten to scrap peace accord

Sunday, November 02, 2008By Mushtaq YusufzaiPESHAWAR: Sharply reacting to yet another US drone attack on Dhog village near Wana, in which top Taliban commander and leader of the Ahmadzai Wazir tribal militia Maulvi Nazeer was injured, militants in South Waziristan Agency on Saturday threatened to scrap their peace accord with the government and launch Baitullah Mehsud-style attacks on the Pakistani security forces if the cross-border missile strikes did not stop.Also, sources denied the death of senior Arab commander Abu Akasha al-Iraqi in the US attack at Esori village in Mirali, North Waziristan, on Friday evening but confirmed that a low-level Arab militant Abu Jihad al-Misri had lost his life besides three other Dawar militants.“Maulvi Nazeer Sahib has asked me to convey his message and this is our last ultimatum to the government. Then we will pick up arms and will fight against our own government and security forces instead of crossing the border for Jihad against the US-led forces in Afghanistan,” warned a senior militant commander of Maulvi Nazeer group, who called The News on Saturday from Wana. The commnader requested to remain anonymous.He claimed their head (Maulvi Nazeer) was the main target of the US drone attack on Friday evening. Three pilotless aircraft were flying over the village since Friday morning, firing two Hellfire missiles on the house of Mohammad Haroon Wazir, a close relative and spokesman for Maulvi Nazeer.The militant commander said Maulvi Nazeer was present in the house and only a few people, including his close commanders and government and military officials based in Wana, knew that. “We are now dead sure that our government was involved in the assassination bid on Maulvi Sahib,” claimed the militant commander.He said militants affiliated with Maulvi Nazeer were present all over the country and could give a tough response to the government. “They are waiting for the call of Maulvi Nazeer. You can’t imagine the situation in the country if the Ameer Sahib was killed or if he revolted against the government,” he said.The caller said senior militant commanders of Maulvi Nazeer group on Saturday held an emergency meeting in which they condemned the missile attack on their leader and warned to launch attacks on the security forces and government installations on the pattern of Baitullah Mehsud in South Waziristan, Maulana Fazlullah in Swat and Maulvi Faqir Mohammad in Bajaur.“We showed patience over the meaningful silence of our government and armed forces on the continuous US air strikes on our villages,” the close lieutenant of Maulvi Nazeer said.Sources said Maulvi Nazeer sustained injuries but was out of danger when the roof of the room he was staying in collapsed due to the heavy explosion. “It was our good luck that the drones fired two missiles on the room next to him and razed it to the ground,” the sources said.Though the militant commander survived, his close relative and a senior commander lost their lives besides some foreign guests. “First, we were disoriented as we were quite sure that we had lost our dear Ameer Sahib. However, Ameer Sahib and his colleagues stranded under the debris started crying for help,” the sources maintained. Nazeer and his men were immediately taken to a private health facility in Wana. After getting treatment, the tribal commander was shifted to a secret location due to growing security risks to his life.Similarly, the sources denied reports about the death of Arab commander Abu Akasha al-Iraqi in a missile attack on a car at Esori village in Mirali. “Abu Akasha is quite well and safe. He did not even suffer a minor injury in the attack,” said the sources but refused to elaborate whether Akasha was present in the vehicle during the attack or not.The sources said only a low-level Arab militant identified as Abu Jihad al-Misri had died in the attack. Meanwhile, tribesmen and militants denied the huge loss of lives in both the US attacks in South and North Waziristan reported by the electronic and print media.

Tribal elder: No more US attacks to be tolerated.

This is from the Dailytimes(Pakistan) The elder probably has zero influence upon the US decision to continue drone attacks. However, the Pakistani government has made the same demand numerous times and just lately. Even the UK has condemned the attacks. It makes no difference. The US for its part regards the attacks as necessary on the basis of a blown up definition of self defence! Of course this sorry excuse for naked aggression is never employed against any country that might be able to defend itself.
Interesting that the elder compares the US incursions with those of the Russians--of course these were condemned by the US! Those poor ignorant tribespeople don't understand that the US represents the forces of the free world a liberating force!

No more US attacks to be tolerated: PPP
Staff ReportMIRANSHAH: A tribal elder of Pakistan People’s Party in North Waziristan has asked the United States to stop incursions in the agency, saying no more US drone missile attacks in the agency will be tolerated. The party’s agency vice president Malik Ghulam Khan Madakhel said this on Friday while addressing a press conference here. The PPP tribal leader also urged the federal government to implement parliament’s in-camera session declaration and start dialogue process in the tribal areas for ending the ongoing unrest. He said during the USSR-Afghan war, Russian army had carried out several missile attacks in the tribal areas but did not succeed in fulfillment of its nefarious designs. Like Russian army, the US forces had also started missile attacks in the tribal region bordering Afghanistan but it, too, would never succeed in its wicked designs, he said. He called the US drone attacks in tribal areas as challenge to the government of Pakistan and its sovereignty. He called upon the government to take practical steps for stopping US attacks in tribal areas and end military operation there to pave way for resolution of the ongoing unrest in the tribal region through dialogues.

Pakistan Foreign Ministry: US Strikes help Terrorists

Pakistan has continually complained about the U.S. attacks to no avail. Although there have been no ground attacks lately, drone attacks occur with regularity. Apparently the U.S. prefers all out civil war in Pakistan to any peace deal that might stabilise the situation but allow militants to regroup and threaten the occupiers of Afghanistan.


Foreign Ministry: US Strikes In Pakistan “Helping the Terrorists”
Posted October 10, 2008
One day after a US drone strike in North Waziristan killed at least nine people, Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has issued a harshly worded condemnation of the repeated strikes, warning that they are undermining the war on terror and “helping the terrorists.”
Spokesman Mohammed Sadiq also cautioned that the attacks are “destabilizing the situation.” This echoes the sentiment from a report earlier this week that North Waziristan’s Taliban were behaving more aggressively in the wake of a previous US strike.
The US has launched a number of unilateral strikes in North and South Waziristan over the past month and a half, part of a reported “the gloves have come off” strategy in the region, seen by many officials as a key base for militants launching attacks across the porous border into southern Afghanistan.
The Pakistani government has complained regularly about the strikes, but US officials have vowed they will continue. This has raised tensions along the border between Waziristan and Afghanistan, with Pakistani forces reportedly opening fire on invading US helicopters on multiple occasions, and ground troops from the two nations briefly exchanging fire across the border last month.
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