Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry has summoned a senior US diplomat to lodge a formal protest at the repeated use of CIA drones against the North Waziristan Agency, saying they are a violation of national sovereignty.
The US has launched several attacks over the past few days, including three strikes over the weekend that killed at least 17 people. Pakistani officials say one of the attacks targeted random tribesmen preparing for an Eid al-Fitr celebration.
Pakistan’s government had initially approved strikes against the tribal areas and even provided the US with an air base from which to launch them, popular opinion and the dramatic escalation of the strikes eventually led them to demand their cessation and oust the US from the air base.
The Obama Administration has dismissed concerns about the drone strikes, and has also ruled out ending them even if Pakistan demands it. Since Obama took office the US has killed well over 2,000 people in Pakistan drone strikes, though only a few dozen have ever been identified.
Even when a supposed ally demands respect for its sovereignty, the USA and Obama insist they will not comply. Pakistan should take the matter to the UN Security Council where any mandate for adhering to the rule of "world law" would be vetoed by the USA. Might is right and America is doomed if they believe that bombs can make for peace. God bless a deranged America!
I doubt God will do that.
Targeting tribesmen during their holy days, and likely hitting more civilians? What in heaven's name is the Administration thinking? Ultimately, how can one call any of these people terrorists against the U.S. if we have been the invaders and occupiers and they had nothing to do with 9/11? If the UN Charter, international law and the law of war have been violated, it has been by the U.S., not by Pakistan or the Taliban. And Osama bin Laden? Even our FBI and CIA could not connect him to the attacks on the World Trade Center which was the casus belli for the Afghan war. By killing him, we destroyed a chance to clarify all of this in a judicial forum, and, certainly, once he and the Al Qaeda were out of the picture in Afghanistan, it removed any possible legal reason for us remaining there.
The government of Pakistan is so weak they can't even name the 'senior diplomat'. Must be an assistant to assistant to the ambassador. How can they take the matter to the UN? The USA will simply claim that they have tacit approval from the government. Only Americans can stop Obama.
This pathetic Pakistani government should show some backbone and shoot the damn drones down. No need to take the matter to rouge UN. Pakistan would well within its right to shoot & destroy anything that comes across the boarder. They should also end supply routs as US is in violation of the agreement that opened the supply rout through Pakistan. US is a friend of no one and never will be.
Pakistan must send a fighter aircraft to shoot down a drone. It would only take a single shoot down to stop all drone activity over Pakistan. Pakistan knows this but won't do it because they get money not to do it. I'm really tired of hearing Pakistani complaints.
Oh, please. When is Pakistan going to drop the dog and pony show already?