Obama to be challenged over human cost of CIA drone strikes

[The Northerner]

Campaigners to meet in Washington to highlight how CIA is operating in secret and inflicting civilian casualties abroad

The human cost of the US government's clandestine drone strikes strategy, including the deaths of young children in Pakistan and Yemen, will be highlighted this weekend as campaigners attempt to challenge domestic support for the Obama administration's controversial policy.

A conference in Washington, at which new video testimony will be shown from the relatives of victims, is the first step in a collaborative campaign to challenge Barack Obama's claim in February that the strikes, aimed at terror suspects, were kept on a "tight leash" and had not inflicted huge civilian casualties.

The summit's organisers – the Center for Constitutional Rights, Reprieve and the peace group Code Pin – hope it will increase awareness of how the CIA-controlled programme is operating in secret, without a clear legal framework and without any accountability to Congress.

Earlier this month, the US government announced it was expanding its controversial use of drone aircraft to kill suspected terrorists in Yemen.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/26/obama-drone-strikes-human-cost


Does anyone care enough about the human toll inflicted by drone strikes slaughtering numerous civilians in foreign countries?

I'm really confused about why this campaign of drone terror should continue in spite of the blatant devastation that it caused and continues to cause to this very day.

[gratuitous]

1. To answer your question: No. Nobody cares

Besides, "liberal Democrats" "approve" of the Obama administration by about 162%, so as long as his poll numbers are up, what's a few war crimes? Ain't no thang.

Now, you are instructed to please trim your political ideals to fit this year's fashion. Gone are those nagging Constitutional worries! Congress approved of something somewhere along the line, some legal eagles said it was more or less okay once upon a time, and nobody dares bring a court case. So everyone's having far too good a time, and they really don't appreciate you harshing their mellow, Captain Buzzkill.

[white_wolf]

2. No, no one does, sadly.

If you want "liberal Democrats" to care about war crimes and the murder of civilians you'll have to wait until there is a Republican in office. At least, that's the mindset I see around here from a lot of people.

[EFerrari]

3. Link to Code Pink's schedule for the summit:

http://codepinkalert.org/article.php?id=6065

[RC]

4. Can someone tel me the legal difference between the damage and killing a drone does vs a maned plane

I'm not seeing it. The drone and plane are ultimately controlled by a human being in both cases. It is still our weaponry. What if we were shooting artillery shells into those countries?
All are acts of war, are they not?

[G_j]

6. yes, confusing, disheartening and horrifying. nt