3% collateral damage acceptable in killing militants by Drone? Yes!

* The Pakistani government said Wednesday that 3% of 2,227 people killed in U.S. drone strikes since 2008 were civilians, a surprisingly low figure that sparked criticism from groups that have investigated deaths from the attacks.

The number, which was provided by the Ministry of Defense to the Senate, is much lower than past government calculations and estimates by independent organizations that have gone as high as 300. The ministry said 317 drone strikes have killed 2,160 Islamic militants and 67 civilians since 2008.

* A surprising number of Pakistanis are in favour of drone strikes:  So when Sofia Khan, a school administrator from Islamabad, travelled with hundreds of anti-drone campaigners to a ramshackle town bordering the restive Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) last October she was stunned by what some tribesmen there had to say.

One man from South Waziristan heatedly told her that he and his family approved of the remote-controlled aircraft and wanted more of them patrolling the skies above his home. Access to the tribal regions is very difficult for foreign journalists; but several specialists and researchers on the region, who did not want to be identified, say there is at least a sizeable minority in FATA who share that view.

I have discussed the use of drones in the past and of course I have a controversial viewpoint on this. If you think about the growing situations around the world requiring not boots on the ground necessarily but watching I believe 100% you will agree.As I always say you must look at the whole picture before forming an opinion, that certainly applies here too.

Under Obama from the beginning The United States has stepped up its attacks with the pilot less drone aircraft attacks in Pakistan even more so since a double agent blew himself up at a U.S. base in Afghanistan on December 30, killing seven CIA agents. The so called weak President on terror has drastically increased the use of like it or not what has become an important tool in the so called war on terror, drones. We should have used them exclusively in Afghanistan, we could have saved Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.

Are we at war or not? I am not going to say the US should be able to put boots on the ground wherever she wants in this still just beginning so called war on terror but it must be realized and acknowledged that like it or not the US is a prime target if not the main target and is the prime face in the so called war on terror.

The big argument against the use of Drones is innocent people are sometimes killed. I am sorry for that but question the numbers as the extremist we are killing in every instance say we are killing civilians when we are killing them to anger civilians and create and enforce world sentiment against the use of drones.

We have been saying from the beginning that this is a new kind of war, a war like no other. We the entire world better make believe they realize that and act accordingly. Our future depends on it. Everyone who reads my reports knows I did not trust Bush and Cheney an iota. They made me question everything we have done in the past.

That said, I would hope that Obama has no designs of dominating the sovereignty of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Africa, or anywhere else we have to go to prosecute this so called war on terror. Muslim countries do not want our boots on the ground so they have to allow openly or clandestinely our use of drones in this the first war of the 21st century!

The uses of Drone’s are a necessary evil even as just an observer as the events in Syria, Iran, and the Arab spring countries certainly must prove. They are our equalizer as IED’s are the militant’s necessary evil and equalizer in the new battlefront! The draw back in IED’s or drones is civilian casualties, by the extremists killing civilians is their goal not so called collateral damage. Civilians always pay the price!

That said, civilian casualties are hard to verify as the so called enemy inflates the numbers to win the media war for hearts and minds with wild allegations as we are not allowed to put boots on the ground in Yemen or Pakistan. We can not relent and we must all increase our efforts and do what we can to ensure our success and our successful future!

35 years ago I was in hardened nuclear missile silo's 70 feet underground. I am sure we are still there to counter any threat from China or Russia. We have a command devoted to operating and maintaining these systems. I agree that we should be doing the same thing with drones. Reading the link at the top I knew Drones were being used in Yemen, Somalia, and Libya but was surprised to read about the even more wide spread housing and use of Drones.

It is a necessary evil and at the very least I firmly believe we should set up a separate command dedicated to their use and maintenance. I firmly believe all our troops around the world not just in Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, the Philippines, Africa, and everywhere else they are openly and clandestinely should be brought home where they are needed and we should be watching events around the world with drones.

If countries do not want them there they can get rid of the so called terrorist threat by policing themselves and we will have to go home or be the unnecessary aggressor we appear to be.



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

The much maligned Drone is increasingly turning the tide

Major al-Qaida leaders killed in US drone strikes

Al Qaeda's deputy leader, Abu Yahya al-Libi, was killed in a drone strike in northern Pakistan, an American official confirmed on Tuesday, in the biggest single success in the controversial campaign's eight-year history.

The drone strike occurred on Monday in a small village outside Mir Ali, a major hub of Pakistani and international militancy in North Waziristan Province. At the time, American officials announced that Mr. Libi had been the strike’s target, but could not confirm his condition. Pakistanis living in the area of the strike reported that he had been either killed or seriously wounded, and that 15 other people had been killed.

Mr. Libi, who was believed to be in his late 40s, moved up to become Al Qaeda’s deputy, behind Ayman al-Zawahri.

One of the most senior al-Qaeda figures in Afghanistan was killed in a weekend air strike, Nato-led forces say. In a statement, Nato described Saudi-born Sakhar al-Taifi as the group's second-most senior figure in Afghanistan. Sakhar al-Taifi died in "a precision air strike" in the Watahpur district of Kunar province, according to a Nato statement. Another rank and file member of al-Qaeda was killed at the same time. Al-Taifi, who also went by the names of Mustaq and Nasim, arranged for weapons and insurgent fighters to be transported into Afghanistan, Nato says.

I have discussed the use of drones in the past and of course I have a controversial viewpoint on this. If you think about the growing situations around the world requiring not boots on the ground necessarily but watching I believe 100% you will agree.As I always say you must look at the whole picture before forming an opinion, that certainly applies here too.

Under Obama from the beginning The United States has stepped up its attacks with the pilot less drone aircraft attacks in Pakistan even more so since a double agent blew himself up at a U.S. base in Afghanistan on December 30, killing seven CIA agents. The so called weak President on terror has drastically increased the use of like it or not what has become an important tool in the so called war on terror, drones. We should have used them exclusively in Afghanistan, we could have saved Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.

Are we at war or not? I am not going to say the US should be able to put boots on the ground wherever she wants in this still just beginning so called war on terror but it must be realized and acknowledged that like it or not the US is a prime target if not the main target and is the prime face in the so called war on terror.

The big argument against the use of Drones is innocent people are sometimes killed. I am sorry for that but question the numbers as the extremist we are killing in every instance say we are killing civilians when we are killing them to anger civilians and create and enforce world sentiment against the use of drones.

We have been saying from the beginning that this is a new kind of war, a war like no other. We the entire world better make believe they realize that and act accordingly. Our future depends on it. Everyone who reads my reports knows I did not trust Bush and Cheney an iota. They made me question everything we have done in the past.

That said, I would hope that Obama has no designs of dominating the sovereignty of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Africa, or anywhere else we have to go to prosecute this so called war on terror. Muslim countries do not want our boots on the ground so they have to allow openly or clandestinely our use of drones in this the first war of the 21st century!

The uses of Drone’s are a necessary evil even as just an observer as the events in Syria, Iran, and the Arab spring countries certainly must prove. They are our equalizer as IED’s are the militant’s necessary evil and equalizer in the new battlefront! The draw back in IED’s or drones is civilian casualties, by the extremists killing civilians is their goal not so called collateral damage. Civilians always pay the price!

That said, civilian casualties are hard to verify as the so called enemy inflates the numbers to win the media war for hearts and minds with wild allegations as we are not allowed to put boots on the ground in Yemen or Pakistan. We can not relent and we must all increase our efforts and do what we can to ensure our success and our successful future!

35 years ago I was in hardened nuclear missile silo's 70 feet underground. I am sure we are still there to counter any threat from China or Russia. We have a command devoted to operating and maintaining these systems. I agree that we should be doing the same thing with drones. Reading the link at the top I knew Drones were being used in Yemen, Somalia, and Libya but was surprised to read about the even more wide spread housing and use of Drones.

It is a necessary evil and at the very least I firmly believe we should set up a separate command dedicated to their use and maintenance. I firmly believe all our troops around the world not just in Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, the Philippines, Africa, and everywhere else they are openly and clandestinely should be brought home where they are needed and we should be watching events around the world with drones.

If countries do not want them there they can get rid of the so called terrorist threat by policing themselves and we will have to go home or be the unnecessary aggressor we appear to be.



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

US setting up secret drone bases in Africa, Indian Ocean to curb emerging triple Al Qaeda threat: The wider use of Drones is a necessary evil

US setting up secret drone bases in Africa, Indian Ocean: The United States is reported to be expanding a secret drone program in east Africa and the Arabian peninsula in order to gather intelligence and strike al-Qaida-linked militants in Somalia and Yemen.

I have discussed the use of drones in the past and of course I have a controversial viewpoint on this. If you think about the growing situations around the world requiring not boots on the ground necessarily but watching I believe 100% you will agree.As I always say you must look at the whole picture before forming an opinion, that certainly applies here too.

Under Obama from the beginning The United States has stepped up its attacks with the pilot less drone aircraft attacks in Pakistan even more so since a double agent blew himself up at a U.S. base in Afghanistan on December 30, killing seven CIA agents. The so called weak President on terror has drastically increased the use of like it or not what has become an important tool in the so called war on terror, drones. We should have used them exclusively in Afghanistan, we could have saved Billions of dollars and hundreds of thousands of lives.

Are we at war or not? I am not going to say the US should be able to put boots on the ground wherever she wants in this still just beginning so called war on terror but it must be realized and acknowledged that like it or not the US is a prime target if not the main target and is the prime face in the so called war on terror.

The big argument against the use of Drones is innocent people are sometimes killed. I am sorry for that but question the numbers as the extremist we are killing in every instance say we are killing civilians when we are killing them to anger civilians and create and enforce world sentiment against the use of drones.

We have been saying from the beginning that this is a new kind of war, a war like no other. We the entire world better make believe they realize that and act accordingly. Our future depends on it. Everyone who reads my reports knows I did not trust Bush and Cheney an iota. They made me question everything we have done in the past.

That said, I would hope that Obama has no designs of dominating the sovereignty of Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Africa, or anywhere else we have to go to prosecute this so called war on terror. Muslim countries do not want our boots on the ground so they have to allow openly or clandestinely our use of drones in this the first war of the 21st century!

The uses of Drone’s are a necessary evil even as just an observer as the events in Syria, Iran, and the Arab spring countries certainly must prove. They are our equalizer as IED’s are the militant’s necessary evil and equalizer in the new battlefront! The draw back in IED’s or drones is civilian casualties, by the extremists killing civilians is their goal not so called collateral damage. Civilians always pay the price!

That said, civilian casualties are hard to verify as the so called enemy inflates the numbers to win the media war for hearts and minds with wild allegations as we are not allowed to put boots on the ground in Yemen or Pakistan. We can not relent and we must all increase our efforts and do what we can to ensure our success and our successful future!

35 years ago I was in hardened nuclear missile silo's 70 feet underground. I am sure we are still their to counter any threat from China or Russia. We have a command devoted to operating and maintaining these systems. I agree that we should be doing the same thing with drones. Reading the link at the top I knew Drones were being used in Yemen, Somalia, and Libya but was surprised to read about the even more wide spread housing and use of Drones.

It is a necessary evil and at the very least I firmly believe we should set up a separate command dedicated to their use and maintenance. I firmly believe all our troops around the world not just in Iraq, Afghanistan, Serbia, the Philippines, Africa, and everywhere else they are openly and clandestinely should be brought home where they are needed and we should be watching events around the world with drones.

If countries do not want them there they can get rid of the so called terrorist threat by policing themselves and we will have to go home or be the unnecessary aggressor we appear to be.



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Rising sea of Arabia and a broken dam forces the Indus river to flow backwards and the Taliban threaten those that take help! WTF?

river changes direction 150 more villages endangered

Things are getting worse and worse for those people as they starve and disease spreads. Meanwhile the people are being threatened not to take help from outsiders and outside aid organizations are being threatened with their lives. WTF? Flooding in Pakistan Spreads South

Officials in flood-ravaged Pakistan urge 500000 new evacuations

survived Pakistan's floods but killed by disease


Take help where you can get it and worry about the repercussions later. Survival first! Go after the Taliban and Al Qaeda later as many have already done. The floods, triggered by unusually heavy monsoon downpours over the upper Indus river basin, are Pakistan's worst natural disaster in terms of the extent of damage caused and the number of people affected.

Put in perspective 2 weeks ago, Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said if the Pakistan government's calculations are correct, the scale of the disaster could be worse than Haiti's January earthquake, the 2004 tsunami, and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake combined.

This is still getting worse and then the disease and people receiving help threatened? Aid workers trying to help them threatened with death or more aptly as the spokesman said when we are against what you are doing you know what that means. Those people need help who cares where they get it. The Taliban and Al Qaeda should be thankful they are getting it and play their deadly games later.


James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com

Berserk weather: Russia fires reach Chernobyl, UN warns of 2nd wave of death in Pakistan, Rains threaten China mudslide disaster zone

According to meteorologists monitoring the atmosphere in the northern hemisphere, unusual holding patterns in the jet stream are to blame for the extreme weather in Pakistan and Russia. Sky News' weather presenter Lucy Verasamy said: "Extreme weather in one place will have a knock on effect elsewhere. Duhh!

"High pressure in Russia means low pressure elsewhere as all the systems are interconnected." Gee is that supposed to be earth shattering enlightenment? Experts point the finger of blame towards climate change but say it cannot be proved conclusively. I can! They are all inter related and this has never happened on this scale. "This weather is very unusual but there are always extremes every year," said Professor Andrew Watson from the University of East Anglia. Never like this!

Russia fires reach Chernobyl zoneRussia tackles wildfires it says have reached a region contaminated by Chernobyl nuclear fallout, amid concern they could spread radiation.

The United Nations warned on Wednesday of a second wave of deaths from floods in Pakistan unless help arrives soon as President Asif Ali Zardari defended his decision to travel abroad as the disaster unfolded.

Rescuers racing against a potential new deluge on Wednesday hurried to drain an unstable lake formed by China's worst mudslides in decades, as the death toll surged past 1,100.

Berserk Weather Causes Worldwide Chaos From floods in Pakistan to droughts in Russia, "extreme and very unusual" weather across the world is bringing death and misery to millions of people.

Someone finally realized that global warming doe not exist. Yeah right! What we have is global weather instability it sounds a bit worse that the rather nicer name of global warming. we need to realize global weather instability, has rather nasty habits of creating the worst the worse storms in living memory, the driest weather in living memory, the worst floods, the biggest hail storms, the worst this, the worst that, we need to drop the global warming tag, and tell it how it is, Global weather instability kills, destroys, ruins, it does the opposite of what it should do, and we need to realize we have left it to late, we need now to start to think of what we can do to give our children a chance, as if we Carry on what we will give them is too difficult to contemplate. That said. Global instability = Global warming!

One thing the nay sayers refuse to realize is that Fact: Global instability is due to Global warming whether it is natural, man mad, or a combination of both. Everything else aside, the Pakistan Floods May Rival 3 Recent Disasters Put in perspective Maurizio Giuliano, a spokesman for the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, said Monday if the Pakistan government's calculations are correct, the scale of the disaster could be worse than Haiti's January earthquake, the 2004 tsunami, and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake combined and they are not done. That's 6 years folks getting wider and wider and worse and worse. When are they going to wake up?



James Joiner
Gardner, Ma
http://anaverageamericanpatriot.blogspot.com