Friday, January 23, 2009

Obama and drone attacks in Pakistan

The Times Online (UK) reports that "suspected US drones killed at least 15 people inside Pakistan today, the first such strikes since Barack Obama became president and a clear sign that the controversial military policy begun by George W Bush has not changed."

The report says further that "Security officials said the strikes, which saw up to five missiles slam into houses in separate villages, killed seven "foreigners" - a term that usually means al-Qaeda - but locals also said that three children lost their lives."

Yesterday President Obama appointed former UN ambassador, Richard Holbrooke, as the special envoy to Pakistan and the greater region.

So where is the change then?

Don't hold your breath broer ... remember when Obama said he would launch an attack in Pakistan even if the leadership there did not condone such action?

He just did.

Pakistan for it part says that the US is violating its territorial integrity and by implication, international law.

Obama, like Bush, is obviously not buying the Pakistani protest. Afterall, what can Pakistan do to stop Obama launching attacks inside its sovereign borders?

The age of empire continues ... and rapidly too!

Onward!

Story and Picture Credit

*UPDATE(Sunday, January 25)*
The Guardian reports that Obama ordered the two air strikes after being consulted by "US Commanders". 18 people are said to have been killed.

6 comments:

Eugene said...

Are those attack drones part of Saddam's stockpile? (a not so funny funny)

I think it is SUPREME CHICKENSHIT to send heavily armed unmanned vehicles to attack another nation, especially a nation one has not declared war against. Where's the bravery?

These types of things don't end terror, they are terror and create more terror.

Obama is not going to bring change. The only change that will come will be when the people stand up and bring an end to it ourselves.

Ridwan said...

I absolutely agree with you Eugene. Obama has remained silent about this attack and the deaths and he has also said nothing about the 15 civilians who were killed by US forces in Afghanistan just hours ago.

"Supreme Chickenshit" is right when armed forces kill civilians and then hide behind complicit leaders like Bush and now Obama.

Thanks for your comment brother.

Peace to you,
Ridwan

Dade Cariaga said...

Obama's moral descent begins...

How far will he fall?

I'm sad.

Ridwan said...

Dade I hear you brother. There are so many folks who feel the same way.

But I remember that you once said that democracy calls on vigilance.

We are watching closely brother and there is strength in the moral glue of struggle.

Peace to you,
Ridwan

Anonymous said...

When I was a child we elected L.B. Johnson because Goldwater believed in "escalation" of the Vietnam "conflict." By the time I was in high school we were pounding the pavement: "Hey, hey, LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?" O. needs to cut these bombings out now, they lead nowhere good.

Ridwan said...

I agree he needs to stop killing innocents PZ.

Unfortunately I don't expect he will.

Thanks for looking in PZ.

Peace,
Ridwan