Russian media rejects US claims on civilian deaths in drone attacks

[Saifullah Sani]

Number of civilian’s deaths from US drone attacks in Pakistan is far bigger than Washington admits, Russian media said on Sunday.

In a documentary on US drones, the Russian media said over 3000 people half of them civilians have been killed in 350 aerial strikes in Pakistan.

The Russian media called US term ‘Signature Strikes’ as worrying since in this procedure suspects are killed in US drone attacks without any substantial evidence.

They said the US drone attacks are tantamount to war crimes and sheer violation of international laws.

Russian media rejects US claims on civilian deaths in drone attacks - thenews.com.pk

 

[OrionHunter]

They call it “bug splat”, the splotch of blood, bones, and viscera that marks the site of a successful drone strike. To those manning the consoles in Nevada and Bagram, it signifies “suspected militants” who have just been “neutralised”; to those on the ground, in most cases, it represents a family that has been shattered, a home destroyed.

The US position so far is to either claim that it is engaged in legitimate self-defence, or to make the policy more palatable by downplaying its human cost. Neither argument is tenable.

The laws of war prohibit the killing of civilians if it is deliberate, disproportionate or indiscriminate. And that's exactly what's happening. These strikes amount to gross human rights violations. But who's to stop the only super power in the world? They couldn't care less if there is any collateral damage. They are the self anointed 'keepers of freedom' who seem to say, 'don't mess with us or we'll blow you away.'