Questioning The Ethical Legitimacy of Drone Attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan

(The Intelligence Daily) -- Ongoing civilian casualties must become an important consideration relative to the use and the legitimacy of drones in South Asia. In a belated official statement last month, the U.S. had admitted to twenty-six civilian deaths in a series of drone attacks that took place in May, but the associated report was not released to the media until over a month later. In the May attacks, Afghan officials put the death toll at 140, significantly higher than the U.S. claims. In the same strikes, the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission put the civilian deaths at eighty-six.

The count of civilian losses in both Afghanistan and Pakistan have been routinely lower in U.S. estimates compared to the counts by governmental spokespersons and civilian witnesses within the two countries. The delays in reporting and denials in the numbers of civilian deaths is a continuation of the same pattern in U.S. policy from last year. Last August, a U.S. bombing in western Afghanistan caused the deaths of around ninety people and most of them in that instance were children. Yet typically, the U.S. in that case initially admitted to killing only a small number of civilians while adjusting their count later. As occurred last year, this time around in May's drone attack, large numbers of women and children were slaughtered.

All considered, the military based nature of the engagement by U.S. and coalition forces in the region should be shifted towards a humanitarian operation with foremost focuses being on infrastructure, education and health care development. As such, improvements of roads, water supplies, agricultural assets, hospitals and schools should be central. Main military operations should ensure the creation and protection of these beneficial types of projects.
 
This emphasis, in turn, would foster a backdrop out of which the objectives of the military attacks would be more readily obtained. In other words, the populations presently being assaulted would be more amenable to American plans were they not terrorized and murdered by U.S. forces, which often drives them into the arms of the American enemies.

Moreover, the key route out of poverty, underdevelopment and social injustice is the education of women and girls. In addition, the origins of the present day problems with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda are rooted in the U.S. sponsored mujahedeen in the 1980's in which many of the Islamic extremists undertook the same kinds of vicious actions towards girls schools and civilian populations as the Taliban and Al Qaeda carry out today. It was as wrong then as it is now.
 
In any case, drone or any other assaults that routinely result in civilian casualties must be stopped or the reasons for the U.S. presence and the purpose for the ongoing war must be, and should be, questioned. The value and consideration of the civilian population in Afghanistan and Pakistan must never be forgotten or disregarded. Similarly, advantageous ventures in construction of schools, particularly ones aimed at the education of girls, would be lauded and welcomed.
 
Therefore, a shift in focus towards a deeper appreciation of the people in and of South Asia is in order. The recognition of our shared humanity and a sense of mutual respect could go a long way in promoting favorable conditions so that the ultimate goals of the U.S. concerning stabilizing the region and ridding it of terrorist assaults, regardless of the side from which they originate, could be achieved.
 
As Bainbridge Colby states, "Thus, only in a hopeful and confident temper, in a proud and constructive spirit, will we rescue the present and safeguard the future of our beloved country." This sort of understanding must form the foundation of any U.S. engagements abroad.
 
Brian McAfee can be reached at brimac6@hotmail.com.