Maine Owl

Killed for their hospitality

Destruction of defenseless civilians is the main outcome of U.S. drone attacks, as in the Pakistani village of Khaisor on May 20. According to a dear friend of the Peace and Justice Center of Eastern Maine:

Kathy Kelly: A U.S. drone airplane fired a missile at the village at 4:30 AM, killing 14 women and children and 2 elders, wounding eleven. The previous day, some travelers had come to Khaisor, and the villagers had served them a meal. "This is our custom," my friend relates. "It is our traditional way." But these travelers were members of the Taliban, and their visit was noted by U.S. forces. It is possible they were identified through pictures taken by unmanned U.S. drones. Although the visitors had left right after their meal, the U.S. responded to this act of hospitality by bombing the homes of the hosts early the following morning.

Write to President Obama and ask him how he would feel if his own wife and children were buzzed and then blown to bits by a diabolical remote-control killing machine.

More of it HERE from NPR.

Escalation and drone war highlight a year of Obama. I had hoped for better.


Obama promises to "finish the job." Sound familiar?

I know he told us he'd put more war into Afghanistan during the 2008 campaign. But is escalating now to "dismantle and degrade" terrorists no longer there really worth it? And that's according to Obama's general himself. He's really just a bookend with Bush in the War Party.

Meanwhile, covert war with use of Blackwater (aka Xe) as a tool along with the Joint Special Ops drone aircraft rages in Pakistan:

Blackwater's Secret War in Pakistan: Jeremy Scahill Reveals Private Military Firm Operating in Pakistan Under Covert Assassination and Kidnapping Program
Democracy Now! 11-24-2009

AMY GOODMAN: Jeremy Scahill, explain who is behind the drone attacks in Pakistan, who has been killed, and talk about legality here.

JEREMY SCAHILL: Right. The CIA of course has been running a drone campaign in Pakistan going back years into the Bush administration. When President Obama took office on January 23, he ordered his first drone strike inside of Pakistan. There were two strikes in North and South Waziristan, and has bombed Pakistan regularly ever since. In fact, Vice-President Joe Biden, part of his strategy reportedly is calling for escalation of these drone strikes. This has caused some controversy because there of a large numbers of civilian deaths as a result of these bombings.

And technically, the operations of the CIA need to be reported to Senator Dianne Feinstein and others on the intelligence committee. and there was a controversy this summer because Leon Panetta ran up the hill and said he had cancelled the CIA assassination program and that sort of put the drones in an intense focus on the hill. What I am told now though, is that there is actually and has been for some time, a parallel drone strike program that is being run by the Joint Special Operations Command and that these JSOC drone strikes are sometimes done with very little regard for how many civilians may die in the pursuit of one quote unquote "Bad guy,"

In fact, my military intelligence source said to me if there's one guy we're trying to hit and there are 34 other people in the building, 35 people are going to die that day. And he said part of the reason why these strikes are happening is because JSOC works on a classified mandate and they really don’t care because they are not going to go to the Hill and talk to Congress about it and they are not going to face consequences, and its an open secret no one wants to talk about. [emphasis added]

Drone aircraft used in Sadr City

The NPR Check item I just posted about reminded me of an NPR story that ran a bit over a year ago. It involved the "Predator" and the newer "Reaper" drone aircraft the Pentagon likes to use for "precision" bombing in densely populated areas it wishes to pacify. I wrote about this here: Where is Sidney Freedman when you need him?

Over about the last month, these diabolical remote-controlled aircraft have been used to deadly effect in the area of Baghdad called Sadr City:

Heavy civilian casualties after drone attacks
Posted: 2008/05/09 - From: Mathaba
by Diana Lee

Time and time again, news stories of heavy civilian casualties have surfaced – largely innocent women and children slaughtered or injured - after reports of attacks by armed UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) that roamed the skies in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Lebanon and Gaza.

Most recently, UNICEF expressed serious concern about the systematic air and missile attacks wreaking havoc in Sadr City by the U.S. military in its relentless pursuit of insurgents. The Iraqi government declares almost 1,000 people have died so far — 60% of them are women and children. Prior to the UNICEF report, USA Today gave an account that the U.S. military record showed “an unprecedented number of air strikes by unmanned airplanes in April to kill insurgents”. The Pentagon has increased use of armed drones to deal with the escalation in fighting in Baghdad's district of Sadr City as well as in Basra.

The story goes on to describe how these killing machines are used in Afghanistan as well.

The way NPR reported the wonders of these devices, it was all about family. "Pilots" could go home to their wives & children after a day in the lab sending missiles into other people's homes. I am just so anguished that in America this story of sickening death and destruction can be given a veneer such as that presented by NPR.

The news today is perhaps a hopeful Mother's Day message: a ceasefire in Sadr City. But a thousand civilians killed under the weight of U.S. remote-control bombs has been the cost.

Bruce K. Gagnon has this interesting information today:

Bruce Gagnon: The drone market is exploding and there is an effort underway to turn Brunswick Naval Air Station into a UAV testing center after the base closes next year.

Informed sources tell us that the plans for Maine include drones from BNAS flying up and down the Maine coast peering at boats and people for "homeland security" reasons. [Maine Commissioner of Economic and Community Development] John Richardson has been a key proponent of this plan. Now is the time for Mainers to know about this and to speak up.

Bruce also links to THIS story today:

Top judge: 'use of drones intolerable'
Unmanned weapons are condemned by Lord Bingham as 'beyond the pale' | The Independent | By Robert Verkaik, Legal Editgor | Monday, 6 July 2009

The use of unmanned drones as weapons of war in conflicts around the world has been called into question by one of Britain's most senior judges. Lord Bingham, until last year the senior law lord, said that some weapons were so "cruel as to be beyond the pale of human tolerance".

In an interview with the British Institute of International and Comparative Law, Lord Bingham compared drones, which have killed hundreds of civilians in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Gaza, with cluster bombs and landmines.

His comments are bound to intensify calls for new international rules to protect civilian populations from arbitrary attacks launched by the pilotless craft.

Lord Bingham asked in the interview, which addressed the issue of the state being bound by the rule of law: "Are there, for example, and this goes to conflict, not post-conflict situations, weapons that ought to be outlawed? From time to time in the history of international law various weapons have been thought to be so cruel as to be beyond the pale of human tolerance. I think cluster bombs and landmines are the most recent examples.

"It may be – I'm not expressing a view –- that unmanned drones that fall on a house full of civilians is a weapon the international community should decide should not be used."

Bruce has up a video from a New Mexico teevee news report showing drone camera footage. It's an amazing report, mentioning that the pilots operating these killing machines from half-way around the world can "witness the aftermath in great detail" before knocking off for the day to "go to [the] kids' soccer game."

Indeed, "the aftermath." The report doesn't offer details, but they must be bad. After watching the little figures and seemingly toy-sized vehicles get blown to bits in the footage, it's little wonder the Air Force has "brought in more counselors and chaplains to help crews deal with particularly traumatic missions." Imagine how "traumatic" the missions must be for those upon whose heads the bombs are exploded!

Here's the bottom line as far as I'm concerned: The U.S. has invaded and occupied the lands in which it is chopping up innocent, defenseless people with these diabolical killing machines. Every decent citizen of the countries under attack now has the right to defend themselves against the U.S. and its allies. Of course, being vastly weaker in military equipment and technology will lead to extreme cost to these populations. Therefore, it is the duty of every decent American to protest our government's actions and stop these unnecessary wars, in order to prevent the loss of so many lives.

Some related posts:

• Drone stories of death
• Pakistan targets: orphans without shelter
• Drones of death
• Reaping Mother's Day in Iraq
• Where is Sidney Freedman when you need him?

Apropos of the previous post, Ramzy Baroud quotes Pakistan writer Abd Al-Ghafar Aziz in a piece for Palestine Chronicle,

Since the US attack on Afghanistan, the province [of Balochistan] has been accused of supporting terrorism and harbouring the leaders of Taliban and Al-Qaeda. Since then, US planes, especially drones, have been striking what it calls 'precious targets', resulting in the death of over 15,000 people.

I see. This is a good war because the recipients of U.S.-supported military attacks and U.S.-flown drone bombers are utterly defenseless. Call me namby pamby, without the "stomach" for it as Dick Cheney would say, but won't the killings--now in the 10s of thousands--and the displacements in the 100s of thousands--make a lot more people from this region mad at the U.S. than already are?

Abolish the national security terror state now!


Anti-nuclear activist John Dear arrested in Nevada while protesting drone aircraft

Amy Goodman was in New Mexico yesterday where she interviewed an anti-nuclear activist and Jesuit priest who coordinates an annual Hiroshima day peace vigil at Los Alamos, Father John Dear. See the video above.

I wrote HERE about the drone aircraft, subject of the recent protest. And also HERE about nuclear weapons and the recent statement by President Obama while in the Czech Republic.

PRESIDENT OBAMA: So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. I'm not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly –- perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, "Yes, we can."

Now, let me describe to you the trajectory we need to be on. First, the United States will take concrete steps towards a world without nuclear weapons. To put an end to Cold War thinking, we will reduce the role of nuclear weapons in our national security strategy, and urge others to do the same. Make no mistake: As long as these weapons exist, the United States will maintain a safe, secure and effective arsenal to deter any adversary, and guarantee that defense to our allies –- including the Czech Republic. But we will begin the work of reducing our arsenal.

To reduce our warheads and stockpiles, we will negotiate a new Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with the Russians this year...

In the interview, John Dear questioned Obama's commitment to abolish nuclear terror when he qualifies it with "not in my lifetime." Despite all of the other good quotes and potentially good moves described in the April 5 speech, has President Obama nullified them all by admitting the nuclear terror state is too big and powerful effectively to challenge in any reasonable time?

NPR just loves 'em

Update: In THIS story from last week, according to figures provided by Rabia Ali, spokesman for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, "546,000 have registered as internally displaced people" in Pakistan due to drone attacks and army activity. Sheesh! That certainly is beginning to look like the U.S. Iraq playbook being run by President Bush Obama!

With appropriate sarcasm, NPR Check posted Monday on a...

... Pakistani News report that -- according to Pakistani authorities -- US drone attacks since January 2006 have killed 14 al-Qaeda leaders and 687 civilians. Dang! 687 to 14. Last time I did my maths that came to 49 civilians killed for every al-Qaeda operative killed.

The post mentions previous pieces describing the NPR reporting as "gooey" and "weak-kneed."

Yes. And I've been deeply concerned myself (see HERE and HERE) about the way these diabolical machines are celebrated. Sadly, I have had very little community response to the messages I have sent regarding these extremely important issues. I have written to NPR and Mike Michaud. The result is zilch. Reapers evidently are great. This is how President Obama evidently also feels, while he escalates the Afghan-Pakistan war. No way I can campaign on this all alone.

Perhaps THIS report on Democracy Now! yesterday provides news of an effort worthy of support.

Peace Activists Arrested After Protesting US Drones in Nevada

AMY GOODMAN: ... last week a group of peace activists staged the first major act of civil disobedience against the drone attacks in the United States. On Thursday, fourteen people were arrested outside the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, where the Air Force tests the unmanned drones used in Pakistan. The activists were arrested after holding a ten-day vigil dubbed "Ground the Drones."

Interviewed is Father Louis Vitale. A lot is said in the segment about how the drones work, how they're flown by remote control thousands of miles from their targets (as I've written in the earlier posts). But here's a stunning aspect of the drone program--the effect on some of those who fly them. Wouldn't you think that as NPR's Mary Louise Kelly has reported, members of the Air Force all would see the "distinct advantage to flying by remote control, instead of long tours of duty overseas," including "dinner with your wife" after a day at the office.

Not so fast, according to Father Vitale, "You don't get rid of PTSD":

And the Americans are bad guys

There was an incredible statement by the quisling Afghan President, Hamid Karzai, reported in the New York Times on November 26:

KARZAI: We have no other choice, we have no power to stop the planes. I wish I could intercept the planes that are going to bomb Afghan villages, but that's not in my hands.

That's just heart wrenching and sickening. The U.S. can't stop the Taliban, so it just bombs villages (with a preference for weddings) and kills people dozens at a time. This is the definition of a tyrannical occupation.

Watching a little football today, I could not help but notice the Air Force recruitment ads. There is a scene in one where "pilots" are shown controlling "Predator" or "Reaper" drone aircraft. This is diabolical--it is promotion of careers in dropping bombs on people's heads from half way around the world--while making your own quisling leader of the people under attack cry for you to stop. What have we become?

Obama? You better do some serious rethinking of your proposed Afghan escalation.