US drones killed 2,200 in Pakistan: Islamabad

[TankMan]

Whats the use of Pakistan Armed Forces that consume 40% of the budget

The 40% figure is totally false.
‘Pakistan’s defence spending lowest in region’ - Pakistan - DAWN.COM
Military expenditure (% of GDP) | Data | Table
From World Bank: Military Expenditure Pakistan 3.4% of GDP
Defence budget
''In Budget 2013-14, a total of 15.74 percent of the total outlay was allocated for defence.''
Note that GDP and Budget are different things.
Pakistan Army maintains exceptionally high standards despite having such a low budget - yet we still have misinformed ingrates maligning their efforts. What a shame.

when they cannot stop drone strikes in Pakistan

Do you want them to shoot the drones down? They are using the drones to our advantage, and since Zarb e Azb was launched and the areas were evacuated there have been very little, if any, civilian casualties. It's politics, and good politics at that.

Pakistan Army is also busy in military actions in their own country killing fellow citizens.

You think the people who did this are your ''fellow citizens''. Go and talk to these fellow citizens of yours and see how many goals they score playing football with your severed head.

Sorry for the graphic image but someone needs to wake up.

 

[Husnainshah]

I for one fully support drone strikes, especially when The State's too coward to establish it's writ. Yes, innocents die but is there a mechanism to separate innocent from guilty?

 

[wiseone2]

No one is arguing about terrorist attacks. Whatever heinous crimes the terrorists carry out is highly condemnable and the harshest possible action should be taken. Although, it's a simple fact that a wrong doesn't make a right.

On the other hand, we cannot justify US drone strikes based on intelligence which could be faulty. This has been the case, not just inside Pakistan, but Afghanistan and elsewhere. Not to even mention that the drone strikes are carried out without the approval of the Pakistani government. Mind you, a sovereign nation. We have had that discussion a million times before so I'll just leave it at that. It's a contentious issue we'll likely never agree on.

American drone strikes are a way for America to curtail nutcases without having to get bogged down in internal Pakistani politics

how hard is it for a Pakistani army platoon or company to do what a drone does ?

 

[Dalit]

Illegal drone strikes?.........They are carried out with consent and help of Pakistani military. In zarb-e-azab we saw full cooperation and coordination between Pakistani forces and American drone strikes. There is always the great chance of collateral damage when you strike missiles on congested cities like Miranshah, MirAli and Wana still mostly Taliban and Al-Qaida were killed in drone strikes, 2200 is very small number compared to the number of people killed in military operations and Taliban's attacks.

That's an assumption on your part because even the Pakistani military has denied supporting US drone strikes. The Americans however dispute this behind closed doors. Both the government and army are accused of providing tacit approval.

Having said that, no country should allow its territory to be bombed by foreign drones. It seems like Pakistan has partly outsourced the war to the Americans. This doesn't help in anyway. On the contrary, it has provided more fuel for the militants. More and more aggrieved locals have joined hands with militants to avenge the death of their loved ones. The Americans are renowned for brute force. Brute force alone is never a solution. We should have learnt this by now. This war should have been fought by the Pak army from the very beginning on its own terms and time frame. No American/outside interference. Plain and simple.

I for one fully support drone strikes, especially when The State's too coward to establish it's writ. Yes, innocents die but is there a mechanism to separate innocent from guilty?

If only things were that simple... There is always a catch and a hefty price to pay. It is happening in front of our very eyes so I don't need to explain much. Had the drone strikes really worked we wouldn't be having schools and mosques blown to bits and pieces and our children slaughtered in broad daylight.

You're right about our coward state. The state is mostly responsible for failing to lead from the front. No wonder some of us have no problem in relying on outsiders to clean up our mess. No matter how wrong.

 

[livingdead]

what percentage are innocent civilians...

 

[Dalit]

American drone strikes are a way for America to curtail nutcases without having to get bogged down in internal Pakistani politics

how hard is it for a Pakistani army platoon or company to do what a drone does ?

I know about the American way...

This is exactly what I have been trying to explain. Unfortunately, both the civilian setup as well the military establishment share blame for inaction. Like I've already said, the civilian leadership should have taken the lead and supported the army through thick and thin in the war against militants. This hasn't been the case. Call it incompetence or unwillingness. Eventually, the army had to take the entire matter upon themselves.

Pakistan army is very much capable to fight the militants like they have already showcased. In fact, many areas have already largely been cleansed from militants. I don't dispute the use of drones. I disrupte the operators. Mind you, trigger happy operators. The Pak army which has boots on the ground have much better access to intelligence. The Pak army is in a much better position to carry out such strikes as opposed to an external power which only relies on moles and rats on the ground. Just imagine Pakistan carrying out drone strikes in Afghanistan to take out the likes of Mullah FM. Haven't savages like him martyred thousands of innocent Pakistanis? Wouldn't we be justified in our cause? Would the Afghans allow us to do this? Think about it.

 

[ManavKalia]

true. but not like these strikes are meant to attack innocent people in the first place. to prevent and reduce collateral damage is the main priority over even killing a terrorist leader.


terrorists commit attacks on innocents knowingly and purposely.

is it acceptable to the U.S. if even one of it's own citizens is collateral damage on it's own soil?

then why is acceptable to Pakistanis on Pakistani soil?

amazing argument.. ;-)

 

[SecularNationalist]

US drone strikes on Pakistani soil over the past decade have claimed the lives of some 2,200 people, Press TV quotes Islamabad

According to figures presented in a report by Pakistani lawmakers, 2,199 people have been killed and 282 others injured in the US drone attacks in Pakistan.

Nearly 210 houses and 60 vehicles have also reportedly been damaged.

The families of 43 of the dead and seven of those injured have received compensation so far, according to the report.

However, rights activists say Islamabad has not revealed the actual number of deaths, which many say is more than 3,000 and possibly as many as 4,000.

“The majority of the people who got killed were the citizens of Pakistan and I don’t think that this [report] is a final truth. There are still numbers that are out there and I hope those numbers also come out and that will push this number of 2,200 to a much higher numerical level,” political analyst Tariq Pirzada said.
Islamabad has so far failed to provide accurate information regarding the identity of those killed in the drone strikes.

Although evidence on the ground indicates civilians are the main victims of the strikes over the years, the Pakistani government reports that most of those killed are militants.

Islamabad has also said it cannot determine the actual number of civilian deaths as a result of its ongoing ground and air offensives against the militants in the tribal areas.

The Pakistani government has been criticized for allowing the US to carry out its illegal drone strikes near the country’s border with Afghanistan.

The aerial attacks, initiated by former US president, George W. Bush in 2004, have been escalated under President Barack Obama.

Obama has defended the use of the controversial drones as “self-defense.” Washington claims the targets of the drone attacks are militants.

The United Nations and several human rights organizations have identified the US as the world’s number-one user of “targeted killings,” largely due to its drone attacks in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

PressTV-‘US drones killed 2,200 in Pakistan’

And 80% of them are innocent tribal people including women, infants and toddlers.

 

[Samandri]

And 80% of them are innocent tribal people including women, infants and toddlers.

Same can be said about air strikes of Pakistani F-16s.
Interview: ‘US drones are better than PAF jets’ - Pakistan - DAWN.COM

 

[wiseone2]

That's an assumption on your part because even the Pakistani military has denied supporting US drone strikes. The Americans however dispute this behind closed doors. Both the government and army are accused of providing tacit approval.

Having said that, no country should allow its territory to be bombed by foreign drones. It seems like Pakistan has partly outsourced the war to the Americans. This doesn't help in anyway. On the contrary, it has provided more fuel for the militants. More and more aggrieved locals have joined hands with militants to avenge the death of their loved ones. The Americans are renowned for brute force. Brute force alone is never a solution. We should have learnt this by now. This war should have been fought by the Pak army from the very beginning on its own terms and time frame. No American/outside interference. Plain and simple.



If only things were that simple... There is always a catch and a hefty price to pay. It is happening in front of our very eyes so I don't need to explain much. Had the drone strikes really worked we wouldn't be having schools and mosques blown to bits and pieces and our children slaughtered in broad daylight.

You're right about our coward state. The state is mostly responsible for failing to lead from the front. No wonder some of us have no problem in relying on outsiders to clean up our mess. No matter how wrong.

I know about the American way...

This is exactly what I have been trying to explain. Unfortunately, both the civilian setup as well the military establishment share blame for inaction. Like I've already said, the civilian leadership should have taken the lead and supported the army through thick and thin in the war against militants. This hasn't been the case. Call it incompetence or unwillingness. Eventually, the army had to take the entire matter upon themselves.

Pakistan army is very much capable to fight the militants like they have already showcased. In fact, many areas have already largely been cleansed from militants. I don't dispute the use of drones. I disrupte the operators. Mind you, trigger happy operators. The Pak army which has boots on the ground have much better access to intelligence. The Pak army is in a much better position to carry out such strikes as opposed to an external power which only relies on moles and rats on the ground. Just imagine Pakistan carrying out drone strikes in Afghanistan to take out the likes of Mullah FM. Haven't savages like him martyred thousands of innocent Pakistanis? Wouldn't we be justified in our cause? Would the Afghans allow us to do this? Think about it.

i never understood why Pakistani army would allow this unless they hit a deal with the Americans