U.S. drone strikes killed 775 civilians since 2004: report

[Playinghardball]

Source: Democracy Now - RawReplay
By Eric W. Dolan

Chris Woods, an award-winning reporter with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, appeared Monday on Democracy Now to discuss an investigation into civilian deaths caused by U.S drones in Pakistan.

According to chief counterterrorism advisor John Brennan, no civilians have been killed in the drone attacks for nearly a year.

“The particular comments that John Brennan made were made on June 15th of this year, where he said that no civilians had died in CIA drone strikes over the last year,” Woods said. “And in fact, only this week, they seem to have pushed that back even further and are now suggesting that no civilians have died since May 2010. And certainly, the evidence that we’ve looked at and the exercise that we’ve run, looking at these strikes in great detail, would flatly contradict that.”

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan have killed as many as 775 civilians, including 168 children.

Watch video, courtesy of Democracy Now, below

http://www.rawstory.com/rawreplay/2011/08/u-s-drone-strikes-killed-775-civilians-since-2004-report/

[Cali_Democrat]

1. We're doing it to protect the "freedom" of Americans here at home

or so I've been told.

[sad sally]

2. Brennan needs his head examined

In the Hollywood version, the Star Wars version of war, the guys using drones to fire down on rebels are rarely the good guys.

Drones are too cold, faceless, lethal to win the crowd. But around the world, drones –- for reconnaissance and for lethal attack –- are increasingly the face of the U.S. military.

In half a dozen countries now, they can and do rain down sudden, devastating violence. They’re cheaper than “boots on the ground.” They’re easier and quieter to deploy. They’re the future, experts say.

And very busy right now. But where does drone war go?

This hour On Point: Drone war.

-Tom Ashbrook

http://www.wbur.org/media-player?url=http://onpoint.wbu...

[saras]

4. I hate to invoke Godwin, but the rockets directed against the British in WWII come to mind

[slipslidingaway]

3. knr nt

[indepat]

5. Americans can be proud that they would be insistent that other countries that employ drone in the US

be more circumspect during raids on suspected terraists, belligerents, insurgents, et al so as to keep collateral damage at an acceptable level. :patriot: