Obama Defends US Drone strikes in Pakistan

[Grouchio]

From the BBC: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16804247

In unusually candid remarks, Mr Obama said the strikes targeted "people who are on a list of active terrorists".
Pakistan says drone raids violate its sovereignty, although it is believed to have given them its tacit support.

The US does not routinely speak publicly about drone operations, which have killed hundreds in recent years.
The dead include senior al-Qaeda and Taliban leaders, as well as an unknown number of other militants and civilians.

Establishing precise casualty figures and identifying the dead in such attacks is virtually impossible as independent media are barred from tribal areas near the Afghan border.

Rights group Amnesty International questioned the legality of drone strikes.

Drone warfare has been a key feature of the Obama administration's pursuit of al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan but has rarely been discussed this openly.

Your thoughts?

[Heinz Guderian]

If Pakistan doesnt like the drone strikes, they should shoot them down. As for the targets; avoid getting on the list. Be like a shadow. Wear a mask to meetings. Dont use your real name. Dont make videos with that Arabic music with an AK-47 for a watermark on the edge. Be like water, flow to least resistance. Be like Barcelona, pass and move. Be like Pauli in Goodfellas; dont use phones, use couriers. Yes Pauli didnt move fast, but then Pauli didnt have to move for anybody. You didnt walk with him, you walk amongst him.

[bushbush]

I can't see any better alternatives in trying to get rid of international terrorists in terms of effectiveness as well as minimizing civilian death and intrusion of other countries' sovereignty.

[Kanaric]

If Pakistan doesnt like the drone strikes, they should shoot them down. As for the targets; avoid getting on the list. Be like a shadow. Wear a mask to meetings. Dont use your real name. Dont make videos with that Arabic music with an AK-47 for a watermark on the edge. Be like water, flow to least resistance. Be like Barcelona, pass and move. Be like Pauli in Goodfellas; dont use phones, use couriers. Yes Pauli didnt move fast, but then Pauli didnt have to move for anybody. You didnt walk with him, you walk amongst him.

I agree with you entirely.

They probably do want these strikes but want to be seen to agree or trying to help border terrorists for stability reasons.

[Condottiere 40K]

Terrorists are drama queens - they want you to pay attention to them.

Revolutionaries think in the long term and establish cells and off the radar communications network.

[KngGilgamesh]

Drone strikes are the most effect recruitment tools for those terrorists so, continuation really doesn't help peace in the long run...it prolongs the conflict considerably.

[Heinz Guderian]

Stable democracies and representation will kill terrorist recruiting.

[Kanaric]

Stable democracies and representation will kill terrorist recruiting.

Both which are two things that even Pakistan is having issues with.

[s.rwitt]

That's what we've been striving for Heinz, but when you're working with people from the 12th century it doesn't end up being as simple as it should be.

[John ''True Grit'' Wayne]

If Pakistan does a drone attack on US turf what happens then??

[Poet]

If Pakistan doesnt like the drone strikes, they should shoot them down. As for the targets; avoid getting on the list. Be like a shadow. Wear a mask to meetings. Dont use your real name. Dont make videos with that Arabic music with an AK-47 for a watermark on the edge. Be like water, flow to least resistance. Be like Barcelona, pass and move. Be like Pauli in Goodfellas; dont use phones, use couriers. Yes Pauli didnt move fast, but then Pauli didnt have to move for anybody. You didnt walk with him, you walk amongst him.

Good suggestions buddy. You must write a hand book for terrorists and I would take responsibility of publishing and circulation. On a serious note, drone attacks are being carried out with secret (not so secret after wikileaks) will of army and Govt. otherwise we can easily hit them.

That's what we've been striving for Heinz, but when you're working with people from the 12th century it doesn't end up being as simple as it should be.

ohohohoho yeah sure. American and allies killed thousands of Iraqis for a democracy they never asked for.

If Pakistan does a drone attack on US turf what happens then??

We would be terrorist state and all the world's "peaceful" states would invade us and a few lac Pakistanis would be killed for a few hundred voters of Bush or Obama.

[Seether]

American and allies Al-queda and Iranian supported terrorists killed thousands of Iraqis for a democracy they never asked for deserve, as all human beings deserve representation and basic human rights.

Fixed that for ya!

[mrmouth]

The whole drone campaign was built with Pakistan's support. ALL of the initial targets for almost a year, were so called "bad Taliban", or enemies of Pakistan.They only began to have problems after they beat back the Taliban from neighboring districts of Islamabad. That was in 2009 - not that long ago. The drone campaign ramped up to target the key facilitators who drove the Taliban to within striking distance of the capital. Worked brilliantly. They loved the drones then.

Then the US turned its attention to the "good Taliban", or the Taliban that Pakistan clearly, undeniably supports. We are attacking their foreign policy.

Obama doesnt mention drone strikes in Yemen and Somalia.Are they justified too?

What does that mean? You mean do they have the permission from the governments of those countries? It's pretty clear they do.

The issue with Pakistan is that nobody really knows what they allow. But quite honestly, I dont see the CIA acting against Pakistan's wishes after Salala. There was a freeze in strikes, and now they are happening again. The things took off from within Pakistan for over 3 years...

[Heinz Guderian]

Good suggestions buddy. You must write a hand book for terrorists and I would take responsibility of publishing and circulation.

you do understand there cannot be a financial paper trail. Its like a drone magnet.

The whole drone campaign was built with Pakistan's support. ALL of the initial targets for almost a year, were so called "bad Taliban", or enemies of Pakistan.They only began to have problems after they beat back the Taliban from neighboring districts of Islamabad. That was in 2009 - not that long ago. The drone campaign ramped up to target the key facilitators who drove the Taliban to within striking distance of the capital. Worked brilliantly. They loved the drones then.

Then the US turned its attention to the "good Taliban", or the Taliban that Pakistan clearly, undeniably supports. We are attacking their foreign policy.

excellent point. rep+

[Rolling Thunder]

If Pakistan does a drone attack on US turf what happens then??

[Poet]

Yeah thanks for proving my point that America is arrogant and a terrorist state, what school system puts such arrogance in little children's minds? You drone a nation, you imply with your actions that you are free to commit same terrorism on gigantic scale for which small terrorists are punished and then on simple 'human' analogy as used by Tom Cruise you threaten hydrogen bomb massacre of a nation. Very good. But be sure that Zionist fathers of Americans would taste uranium too after such an attack on us.

[Seether]

Yeah thanks for proving my point that America is arrogant and a terrorist state, what school system puts such arrogance in little children's minds? You drone a nation, you imply with your actions that you are free to commit same terrorism on gigantic scale for which small terrorists are punished and then on simple 'human' analogy as used by Tom Cruise you threaten hydrogen bomb massacre of a nation. Very good. But be sure that Zionist fathers of Americans would taste uranium too after such an attack on us.

Terrorist nation? Oh Poet, you're such a comedian. But Pakistan, which has 1/3 of its country actually run by terrorists, is not a terrorist nation. Good logic Poet...

So since Pakistan is only staying afloat due to US money, it must be safe to assume that Pakistan is a welfare state? Does it make you mad that Pakistan is a welfare state and a terrorist state at the same time? I'd have a victim mentality too.

[SufianBabri]

Yeah thanks for proving my point that America is arrogant and a terrorist state, what school system puts such arrogance in little children's minds? You drone a nation, you imply with your actions that you are free to commit same terrorism on gigantic scale for which small terrorists are punished and then on simple 'human' analogy as used by Tom Cruise you threaten hydrogen bomb massacre of a nation. Very good. But be sure that Zionist fathers of Americans would taste uranium too after such an attack on us.

Not Zionist fathers but Zionist MASTERS, because fathers don't say such mean things about their sons.

If killing 4 million Vietnamese and bombing the 2 cities of Japan doesn't make them terrorists, but 'saviours' of the world, then how come you even think killing a hundred or thousand Pakistanis will make them terrorists?

Just remember one thing:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

[Nevins]

Not Zionist fathers but Zionist MASTERS, because fathers don't say such mean things about their sons.

If killing 4 million Vietnamese and bombing the 2 cities of Japan doesn't make them terrorists, but 'saviours' of the world, then how come you even think killing a hundred or thousand Pakistanis will make them terrorists?

Just remember one thing:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read: 

Oh man, another one. So your source for this is a random blog?

[Rolling Thunder]

Yeah thanks for proving my point that America is arrogant and a terrorist state, what school system puts such arrogance in little children's minds?

Not even American.

You drone a nation, you imply with your actions that you are free to commit same terrorism on gigantic scale for which small terrorists are punished and then on simple 'human' analogy as used by Tom Cruise you threaten hydrogen bomb massacre of a nation. Very good.

This would be true, except Pakistan clearly deserves it.

But be sure that Zionist fathers of Americans would taste uranium too after such an attack on us.

Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight.