The revelations from Bob Woodward’s new book Obama’s Wars continue to emerge, with one of the biggest stories yet the fact that, in a meeting in November 2008, then-CIA Director Michael Hayden admitted that the US drone strikes were killed American citizens.
During the meeting Hayden detailed a number of drone strikes with Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, revealing a number of Westerners, including Americans, had been killed in attacks against North Waziristan Agency. The particulars were kept secret from Zardari, citing the “implications under American law” of killing US citizens.
Which is odd, as the Obama Administration now claims the right to specifically order the killings of US citizens not charged with any crimes on national security grounds. New Mexico born cleric Anwar Awlaki was revealed earlier this year to be on a “to be assassinated” list at the CIA.
President Zardari’s reaction to the quote is likely to be another issue, as he was quoted as saying “Collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me.” Zardari’s government has repeatedly denied any involvement in the drone strikes, while claiming the growing number of confirmations to the contrary are part of a “conspiracy” against them.
Okayyy… when did the strikes take place, before or after the 'universal kill' ability was self-bestowed by Obama? If before, were the US citizens identified as terrorists or otherwise 'legal' targets according to the Rules of Engagement at the time? If not, who were they, were their next-of-kin notified as to how they died, and who has been brought to trial for their murder? Is there documentation to support any claims regarding these killings? Or were they nothing more than plain old, everyday 'collateral damage' and therefore not worth the trouble to mention? Way to go, team- good way to foster confidence in our drone operators.
What is truth will come out latter on but the fact is that americans are killing innocent Pakistanis for the friedship with Zardari or PPP.
Lies one after another are comind out but american mind set has not changed.
CIA appoints their agents and then force them to do dirty work and so on.I say the war on terror is nothing but war by intelligense services around the world. It is very difficult to keep their agents under control but to kill them is an option to avoid leakages of dirty work.
Every citizens life has worth not only of americans,they are not super humman but in one aspect is true they are used to do dirty work around the world and generate hatred against their people. This is history one day they will be weak and helpless what will happen to americans? What they have done will be praciticed on them. At present we are victim and will remain in coming 10 years victims of america or the west.
O=W pffff O>W
Lil Mikey Hayden is worlds of enamored with killing. Butchery and slaughter seem endlessly entertaining. Gamers mentality one could suppose. Lil Mikey Hayden is also quite enthusiastic about torture. He said so himself on the Bloomberg debates.
In 'bizarro world', lil Mikey walks as king. Command over life, death, suffering, and embraces the banality of expedient as gospel.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. I don't believe that any of us are safe just because we live here in the US. Arrangements can be made with other allied intelligence agencies, besides I don't really believe the laws would be applied anyway. When is the last time Congress ever really grilled the CIA ? Right – 1978- the Church Commission- more than 30 years ago, and even then they left an awful lot of it blacked out for 'national security'.
American citizens? No way, Drones only kill terrorists and miltants. Those Americans were terrorists and when their bodies return the grieving families will sue the USG for slander of their dead. Drones kill children too because they are militants.