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

Iran's Ghost ships miscalculated

Could we be impeded by these monstrous floating bombs in the Gulf?

Iran Trying to Hide Its Massive Oil Tankers - ...by turning ...: Iran Trying to Hide Its Massive Oil Tankers. They are loading as many tankers as they can with millions of gallons of crude and leaving them floating throughout the Gulf that is also laden with military war ships and normal fishing traffic from all area countries.Oil sanctions are posing a growing problem for Iran, prompting officials to resort to some odd—and illegal—tactics. Struggling to find buyers, the country has been storing oil on tankers whose satellite systems have been turned off since early last month, thus breaking maritime rules, the Washington Post reports.

Though the move is intended to hide the vessels as they search for ports and buyers willing to welcome them, Western surveillance systems can generally spot the GPS-disabled tankers anyway. Sanctions have prevented Iran from getting Europe-based maritime insurance, and leading ship registrars are refusing to certify Iranian ships' safety, thereby barring them access to many ports.

They are loading as many tankers as they can with millions of gallons of crude and leaving them floating throughout the Gulf that is also laden with military war ships and normal fishing traffic from all area countries. Of course once again we are hearing countless theories by the so called experts but they are dead wrong once again.

Theories usually involve trying to evade world authorities while plying the seas looking for someone to buy the crude at discount prices while off loading at sea. Yes these ships cannot get insurance for their craft as Loyd's of London is the only place that does it. How convenient! With that said I am afraid once again the world is looking at an issue with rose colored glasses, seeing only what they think would be the obvious tactic.

They are patting themselves on the backs for keeping Iran's oil off the open market concentrating on the fact that these huge ships are now floating around the world and at least hundreds floating who knows where in the Gulf of Oman now posing a great risk carrying millions of gallons of crude without a GPS for anyone in the world to monitor them thus posing a risk for the entire world as they ply their business. Yes everyone is at risk of crashing into them as is the new worry but that is the least of it.

Does anyone remember what Iran's threat has been for months now? They have threatened to close down the Gulf to our military and world commerce numerous times. While we are pleased with ourselves over what appears to be new cooperation with Iran as Ayatollah Khamenei seems to be in charge again and Ahmadinejad is losing his control we have lost sight of the pig picture here.

Has the obvious dawned on anyone yet? These so called "Ghost Ships" may be invisible to the rest of the world without a GPS to monitor their position but they are not just huge tankers floating around waiting for a victim to collide with them. I would say first that it is a safe bet to assume that Iran still has a way to control these ships remotely and they may be unmanned but they know exactly where they are.

My biggest concern and it should be the biggest humungous concern of ours is the threat to block the Gulf and these would be a great help wouldn't they. You can bet they are all packed with enough explosives to blow them remotely when in a strategic position, anywhere in the Gulf, at the mouth of the Gulf? Imagine the explosion of hundreds of millions of gallons of crude first but then the resultant floating massive hulk now floating uncontrolled in the Gulf and those who knows where waiting for who or what?



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