Secrecy of Pakistan UAV strikes is criticized

[unhappycamper]

Secrecy of Pakistan UAV strikes is criticized
By Sebastian Abbot - The Associated Press
Posted : Friday Jan 29, 2010 12:10:14 EST

ISLAMABAD — Criticism is mounting over Washington’s refusal to say anything about missile strikes against Taliban and al-Qaida fighters in Pakistan’s northwest, prompting even supporters to argue the U.S. needs to be more open to counter militant allegations that only innocent civilians are dying.

Missiles launched by unmanned drones are the most effective way for the U.S. to go after militants hiding in the lawless border area near Afghanistan because the Pakistani government refuses to allow U.S. troops on its soil and has been reluctant to target many of the fighters itself.

While the government criticizes the strikes as an infringement on national sovereignty, it is widely assumed to privately support the attacks and help provide intelligence.

But the militants are the only ones speaking publicly about people killed in the strikes. Their claims of hundreds of civilian fatalities have made the attacks deeply unpopular in Pakistan, even though they have eliminated hard-line leaders responsible for the deaths of thousands of Pakistanis.

A poll conducted by Gallup Pakistan for Al-Jazeera in July last year found that only 9 percent of Pakistanis supported the drone strikes. The poll was based on face-to-face interviews with more than 2,500 Pakistanis throughout the country and had a margin of error of plus or minus 2 to 3 percentage points.


Rest of article at: http://www.armytimes.com/news/2010/01/ap_pakistan_uav_strikes_policy_012910/

[happyslug]

1. Why is this is "Army Times"?? A Newspaper geared to Military Officers?

Something is up, does the Army oppose the secrecy or the program? This report supports continuing the attacks, but wants to kill the secrecy, but if that is what is actually wanted why the comments that such attacks have NOT been approved by the Government of Pakistan (And thus illegal under Pakistan law and since we are NOT at war with Pakistan and the people we claim are killing are NOT an immediate harm to US forces, illegal under International Law).

Is someone is the Pentagon afraid that the Military will have to clean up (and inherent all of the hatred) the program? Making such a program can not happen, for it is clearly illegal UNLESS Pakistan says we have their permission (And given the situation in Pakistan, such permission would be a kiss of death to the present government of Pakistan). Thus why propose it? Given the nature of the situation someone wrote it up as a "Neutral" piece but the officers reading it will quickly see that he is advocating one of two choices, end the Secrecy or end the program. Once you realized that the option being advocated in the article is NOT only illegal but counter productive (Which is more important) then the other option ENDING THE PROGRAM seems to be the real purpose of the article.