‘Drone attacks creating public opinion against US’

DALLAS: The United States administration including President Obama, CIA and the Department of Defense act as the prosecution, judge and jury for the people who are being killed in drone attacks in Pakistan, Somalia and Yemen. Not only this, the president, based on his “Kill List” makes the decision on high value targets that also include American citizens.

“The attacks are killing unrelated people and they are creating public opinion against the United States in Muslim countries” said Col. Ann Wright board director Global Exchange speaking to a diverse audience of Americans and South Asians at a symposium organized by the South Asia Democracy Watch (SADeW) in Dallas.

She candidly discussed her recent visit to Pakistan as an eye opening experience where not only government officials, but army personnel and common citizens told her they are against drone attacks.

She said their group informed the people of Pakistan that Americans are also raising their voice against drones and getting arrested protesting at the drone bases and research institutions in the United States.

She said Pakistan as a victim of terrorism has lost a large number of citizens, army personnel, women and children and these sacrifices are not being acknowledged in the West.

Responding to a question after her talk she said their group was in Pakistan not to support any political party but to protest the undeclared war of CIA against the citizens of Pakistan through drone attacks. She said they were warmly greeted by Pakistanis wherever they went.

She also said over 40 nations around the world, including Pakistan and India are also working on the drone technology. She mentioned that the computer technology is also being developed in different countries to control, ground or destroy unmanned drone planes.

The SADew leader, Syed Fyaz Hasan, introducing the organization, said it works to promote democratic norms in South Asia by educating women and men in the region on participatory democracy and social justice.

The event was also attended by the SADew board members including Dr. Qaisar Abbas, Raja Muzaffar, Aftab Sidiqi and Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada, Karkuram Thinker Form President Siraj Butt besides political activists and intellectuals in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.