Jane Mayer, a political journalist for The New Yorker discusses the ethics and controversies surrounding the CIA’s covert drone program, in which remotely controlled, unmanned planes target terror suspects in Pakistan. A 32 minutes interview on NPR [transcript]
Mayer writes that unlike the military’s publicly acknowledged drone program in Afghanistan and Iraq — both official war zones — the CIA’s campaign doesn’t operate in support of U.S. troops on the ground. Instead it’s a secret program, run partly by private contractors, that amounts to “targeted international killings by the state,” in the words of one human-rights lawyer. Because of its covert status, there’s “no visible system of accountability in place,”
Comments
6 responses to “The Risks Of A Remote-Controlled War: CIA using Drones for International Assassination”
The use of drones by the US is their newest way to kill innocent Muslims. SHAME ON THE US !!!
The use of drones by the US is their newest way to kill innocent Muslims. SHAME ON THE US !!![JJ]
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No Sir, its not new its quite old but we know it now in Pakistan. We used to help US in early 60s to fly their U2 Spy plane from Peshawar to spy on USSR. Now reap the fruit of that friendship.
it proves that having friendly relations with united states is much more dangerous than having cold war with america.
Bloody Hell USA was created to murder people for its freedom.
Seriously I love this blog for its critical look at Pakistan and internal issues but the last few blogs have been like "Lets blame the US for totally unrelated thing!"
Regardless who is controlling the planes they are there because the Pakistani government wants them. Why is it lately they have stopped going on TV yelling about? Because proof started to come out (including from this blog) that they had Pakistan Gov support. 2nd the targets they are *trying* to get are the same that right now grip Pakistan in fear.
If anything Pakistani have a claim against its own government not the US. If they want to stop the UAV Pakistan can. Some of Pakistan made UAVs are actually EXPORTED to the US, and are used to patrol the US-Mexico boarder. So Pakistan has the understand to stop them but does not.
As for the issue of contractor hands in UAVs it is expected but no different or unique with any other nations. I doubt the day to day use of them are by them but they provide support.
CIA using Drones for International Assassination [Teeth Maestro]
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Background:
Seymour Hersh: Secret US Forces Carried Out Assassinations in a Dozen Countries, Including in Latin America Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Seymour Hersh created a stir earlier this month when he said the Bush administration ran an “executive assassination ring” that reported directly to Vice President Dick Cheney. “Under President Bush’s authority, they’ve been going into countries, not talking to the ambassador or to the CIA station chief, and finding people on a list and executing them and leaving,” Hersh said. Seymour Hersh joins us to explain. [Watch interview/includes rush transcript]
Seymour Hersh, Dick Cheney & Secret Assassination Wing
http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/05/seymor-h…