1/3 of people killed in Drone Attacks are Civilians

[Rhinox]

Continuing from the health care thread


http://counterterrorism.newamerica.n...iedemann_0.pdf


TLDR version

Our study shows that the 114 reported drone strikes in northwest Pakistan from 2004 to the
present have killed between 830 and 1,210 individuals, of whom around 550 to 850 were described
as militants in reliable press accounts, about two-thirds of the total on average. Thus, the true
civilian fatality rate since 2004 according to our analysis is approximately 32 percent.

To those who believe Drone Strikes are totally justified. Specifically Ceph

So people who live in democracies get to approve military action before their governments go ahead with it? That's funny, I don't remember being able to cast a vote on whether America should invade Iraq.

in before "America is not a democracy"

So according to you, Obama should suspend military operations in Pakistan because the recognized government in place was put there with US backing long before he ever took office? Why? I guess we shouldn't deal with the Germans either, that was a US-backed government change too! I agree with you that the legitimacy of their government is questionable at best. But, they are the recognized government entity there. If their approval isn't good enough, who's is? Should we have the Pakistani people vote on an internet poll before we do anything? I mean come on.

It's not like we're attacking Pakistani people there and marching in thousands of troops. These are precision strikes (in remote tribal areas as well, not exactly a place you'd find residential homes) against the terrorists hiding there, who not only attack US troops in Afghanistan but attack the Pakistanis as well. The Pakistani military was fighting them long before we started the airstrikes. Why wouldn't they want our help?

We're looking at it from two different perspectives. You don't like it because it's undermining the government of a foreign nation. I think it should continue, because stopping it increases the danger for our boys fighting in Afghanistan. If you stop air strikes you might as well put up a nice big neon sign over Pakistan that says "TERRORISTS SAFE HERE" and watch as they run into Afghanistan, kill as many Americans as possible, and run back to Pakistan where we can't touch them.

And didn't we give Pakistan billions of dollars after 9/11 to fight the Taliban there? And they did jack shit. Why will giving them more money help them do what they couldn't do before? By your own admission they won't even use it for that. So, isn't Obama choosing the lesser of 2 evils here?

Feels good man?


http://rethinkafghanistan.com/blog/?p=1789

[Falcon]

Good enough for me.
2/3 is more then enough to justify it.

[Cleverness]

Honestly expected this topic to be about bees...

[Rhinox]

Good enough for me.
2/3 is more then enough to justify it.

That's your opinion and you're entitled to it.

that being said its a fucking retarded stand to have and btw don't procreate.

[Enkidu]

tl;dr but how do they differentiate between civilians and militants?

Are women and children auto-civilian? If so, is it common place for "militants" to bring their wives/children with them wherever they're living? If so, 1/3 should be expected.

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

Incidentally, 1 in 3 people killed in civilian attacks are drones. Story at eleven.

[Rhinox]

tl;dr but how do they differentiate between civilians and militants?

Are women and children auto-civilian? If so, is it common place for "militants" to bring their wives/children with them wherever they're living? If so, 1/3 should be expected.

You realize that Afghani people are tribal right? meaning they wouldn't live in large cities. If you can't distinguish friend from foe when you're bombing then yo probably shouldn't be bombing.

[Correction]

Breaking news: Militant terrorists travel and live with their wives and children and sometimes those wives and children get killed.

[alt]

There will always be civilian casualties in war.

Which doesn't mean you shouldn't make a reasonable attempt to limit civilian deaths. But there will always be civilian deaths.

We used to carpet bomb cities with dumb bombs in order to hit a few factories, railroad stations, etc. in World War 2. And used to napalm blanket villages in Vietnam in order to hit targets hiding in the villages.

I'll take the drone strikes of today personally.

[Rhinox]

Breaking news: Militant terrorists travel and live with their wives and children and sometimes those wives and children get killed.

http://thefastertimes.com/nonsensene...rt_2002_a1.jpg

It's not only wives and children of militants.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/02/1...12-afghan.html

[Deadgye]

Breaking news: Militant terrorists use their children as traps to help kill enemies.

[Correction]

It's not only wives and children of militants.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/02/1...12-afghan.html

Are these rockets drone attacks also?

[Rhinox]

Breaking news: Militant terrorists use their children as traps to help kill enemies.

really? where you get this shining turd of information might I ask?

[MF Perm tha Fineass]

really? where you get this shining turd of information might I ask?

It was in the movie about Iraq duh

[Rhinox]

Are these rockets drone attacks also?

Not a Predator drone but they were fired remotely from a truck. Same principle.

[alt]

On the flip side, I also seem to recall two buildings collapsing in New York due to being struck by hijacked jet liners a few years back. I forget, how many military targets were there in those buildings?

[Correction]

Not a Predator drone but they were fired remotely from a truck. Same principle.

Yet not part of the argument to stop drone attacks in Pakistan.

[Rhinox]

Yet not part of the argument to stop drone attacks in Pakistan.

Do you know what Himars are?

[Rhinox]

Hey I know, During hostages situations lets just blow the building up there is bound to be more hostage takers then civilans. as long as we get those cock suckers.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

http://www.themodernwarfare.com/imag...screenshot.jpg

Like you can tell the difference.