‘Drones causing mass trauma among civilians,’ major study finds

[morningfog]

The near constant presence of CIA drones ‘terrorises’ much of the civilian population of Pakistan’s tribal areas according to a new report.

Men, women and children are subjected to almost constant trauma – including fear of attack, severe anxiety, powerlessness, insomnia and high levels of stress – says a nine month investigation into CIA drone strikes in Pakistan by two top US university law schools. More than 130 ‘victims, witnesses and experts’ were interviewed in Pakistan for the study.

A number of those eyewitnesses corroborated the Bureau’s own recent findings – that rescuers have been deliberately targeted by the CIA in the tribal areas.

The new study heavily challenges US government claims that few civilians have died in CIA drone strikes, saying that there is ‘significant evidence’ to the contrary.

http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2012/09/25/drones-causing-mass-trauma-among-civilians-major-study-finds/

[cr8tvlde]

1. I'm pretty sure this did not take a "study"...WTF...ask the WW II Brits...drone or manned.

Yes, we are terrorists and we pay trillions for the "privilege". Anti-war "Grouch" here.

And yes, I am ticked at Obama for continuing Bush's fuc####up war of pleasure. I know, political realities and all.

And I think that the Republican's denial of the Veteran's Bill was their pricked-up way of delaying the homecoming for many soldiers.

[Hydra]

2. Apparently, we need studies now to point the obvious out to us

Because the peddlers of BS have taken over the airwaves.

I even hear lifelong democrats talking about how drones are such a "humane" option. I ask them whether killing that wedding party or the scads of civilians every week helped stop Al Qaeda from getting their paycheck from us.

[cr8tvlde]

7. Wow...humane? Really? Because it saves money for pilots????

I mean, what is their "logic"?

[Hydra]

8. Their idea is that it's less soldiers that have to be there

I take that to mean that they only care about the Americans killed. Brown people don't count.

Seriously, I look around some days and wonder if I'm some sort of rabbit in a world full of reptiles.

[cr8tvlde]

10. Still escapes my logic, but then so does almost all war.

[sabrina 1]

14. Brown people and their children never count to war mongers. They are merely fodder

and we who insist on pointing out their right to be free from having death rained down on them from drones and other WMDS are apparently very annoying to them and probably have been placed in the same category as the people they have zero human feelings towards.

Just knowing it annoys war mongers is all the more reason to keep pointing how not everyone shares their views that they are entitled to kill whoever they wish.

[dixiegrrrrl]

18. Fodder before the attack, "militants" after,

when they cound the body parts.

Wonder how many here remember the "secret" Cambodia bombing?

[ladjf]

3. If you think the current drone warfare is traumatic, wait until one or more Countries deploys

space satellite rocket weaponry, capable of wiping out entire Countries at the push of a button. There would be no significant defense against such attacks other than preemptively destroying all satellites large enough to be a weapons platform.

I have no inside information about such systems. But, my suspicion is that at least two Countries are already working their launch platforms.

[Hydra]

9. Space based weapons are the new rage

And like you, I'm expecting them up there any day now.

[ladjf]

11. It is the scariest scenario possible.

One little hint was that about five years ago, China announced that they were deploying
twelve geosynchronous satellites for communication purposes. That could just as easily be
twelve evenly space launchpads girding the Earth.

The U.S. military has admitted that they are researching space warfare. I have no idea how far they've gone with this.

[dixiegrrrrl]

19. I think plans for the Death Star are coming along nicely.

Nothing seems to slow down the Military/Industrial system much.

[NoPasaran]

4. Maybe they should suggest

Maybe they should suggest to the terrorist dirtbags who use them as human shields that they should hit the road.

[Egnever]

6. Agreed

And perhaps if they are truly Traumatized they will

[Luminous Animal]

13. And how would you imagine that suggestion? I imagine that it would get

the suggester and her/his family killed.

[sabrina 1]

15. Maybe since the terrorist dirtbags are not the ones killing them, they should continue

to do what they have been doing, address their concerns about their children's lives to the people who ARE killing them.

What an odd suggestion. Don't talk to those who are in your country killing your loved ones, talk to the people who have not done you any harm. That ought to save their lives!

I remember Bush supporters using that 'logic'. We kill them, it is THEIR fault for being in their own countries. Unbelievable!

Do you have the same standards across the board no matter who is using those drones? Since we are selling them to other countries, or since other countries are likely to develop them, it seems only a matter of time before they are used against us.

Or is America always above reproach while Brown People also deserve to die? Just curious.

[mike_c]

17. guess who the dirtbags terrorizing them really are....

Sheesh. I suppose you didn't bother reading the OP before enlightening us with your wisdom on the the state of life in western Pakistan?

[SomethingFishy]

20. Really? You should run for office.

You'd fucking fit right in.

[HiPointDem]

5. duh.

[quaker bill]

12. I am pretty sure no one truly assumed otherwise

I am quite sure that they are not flown to win "hearts and minds". Those deploying them are not expecting to be greeted with hugs, kisses, and roses. I do not think this result is unexpected or unintended.

Given all that, why do you think they fly them? I think in part is was to kill specific individuals, but I think also it is an intended object lesson to prove that we can and will do it. There is no form of war that I am aware of that does not take innocent life. Yes I know "it is not declared war". I think pulling the trigger on a hellfire missle is a sufficient declaration, particularly for those in the cross hairs.

[bvar22]

16. Duh!

Thats because Drones are Weapons of Terror,
and countries that use them against civilian populations in non-declared wars against non-specific, non-uniformed enemies without geographical boundaries and borders are Terrorist Nations.
Simple.

[G_j]

21. +1000