UN: Drone Attacks in Pakistan Unlawful

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

U.S. drone strikes violate Pakistan's sovereignty: U.N.

UNITED NATIONS — The United States has violated Pakistan's sovereignty and shattered tribal structures with unmanned drone strikes in its counterterrorism operations near the Afghan border, a U.N. human rights investigator said in a statement on Friday.

U.N. special rapporteur on human rights and counterterrorism, Ben Emmerson, visited Pakistan for three days this week as part of his investigation into the civilian impact of the use of drones and other forms of targeted killings.

"As a matter of international law, the U.S. drone campaign in Pakistan is ... being conducted without the consent of the elected representatives of the people, or the legitimate Government of the State," Emmerson said in a statement issued by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva.

"It involves the use of force on the territory of another state without its consent and is therefore a violation of Pakistan's sovereignty," he said.

"It is time for the international community to heed the concerns of Pakistan, and give the next democratically elected government of Pakistan the space, support and assistance it needs to deliver a lasting peace on its own territory without forcible military interference by other states," Emmerson said.

The U.N. Human Rights Council asked Emmerson to start an investigation of the drone attacks following requests by countries including Pakistan, Russia and China.

Criticism of drone strikes centers on the number of civilians killed and the fact that they are launched across sovereign states' borders so frequently, far more than conventional attacks by piloted aircraft.

Retired U.S. General Stanley McChrystal, who devised the U.S. counterinsurgency strategy in Afghanistan, warned in January against overusing drones, which have provoked angry demonstrations in Pakistan.

Civilian casualties from drone strikes have angered local populations and created tension between the United States and Pakistan and Afghanistan. Washington has sought to portray civilian casualties as minimal, but groups collecting data on these attacks say they have killed hundreds of civilians.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20130316/US-UN-DRONES/

[JstaRebel 48]

Personally, I doubt that the UN's report and findings are going to change a thing, and the drone strikes will continue..

Just a thought.. Can you imagine what would happen if the tables were turned and another country used an unmaned craft to attack and kill one of it's enemies or person they deemed as criminal here in the USA?? My point being why should any other people in the world not feel the same way that we would?

[Pooky 3,834]

Just a thought.. Can you imagine what would happen if the tables were turned and another country used an unmaned craft to attack and kill one of it's enemies or person they deemed as criminal here in the USA?? My point being why should any other people in the world not feel the same way that we would?

Yes - there would be one less drone as soon as it was identified as unknown/ hostile.

[JstaRebel 48]

Yes - there would be one less drone as soon as it was identified as unknown/ hostile.

Unfortunately, I think youi have totally missed the point.. Oh well..

[Pooky 3,834]

Unfortunately, I think youi have totally missed the point.. Oh well..

Rather the opposite, I think.

Have a look at the news and the game Iran is playing with US surveillance drones over the Persian Gulf. Pakistan, if it wished, could go after the US attack drones, if it wanted to and if it could find them.

The UN has ruled that US drone policy contravenes international law. If the Pakistanis objected that much, they would shoot one down. Then see how US policy changes, or doesn't.

[JstaRebel 48]

Strikes by missile-armed Predator and Reaper drones against terrorism suspects overseas began under former President George W. Bush and were expanded by Obama. The ramp-up started in 2008, the last year of Bush's term, when there were 35 air strikes in Pakistan, and escalated under Obama to a peak of 117 in 2010, according to The Long War Journal ( http://www.longwarjournal.org/pakistan-strikes.php ).

That jump in use of armed drones resulted from the authorization to use "signature" strikes, which allowed targeting terrorism suspects based on behavior and other characteristics without knowing their actual identity, a U.S. official said on condition of anonymity.

http://news.yahoo.com/u-drone-monopoly-frays-obama-seeks-global-rules-050654158.html

Attack drones, now countries can be judge, jury, and executioner all at once... Coming to a country near you SOON!!