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Pakistan hasn’t approved drone strikes after US apology: Sherry
WASHINGTION - Pakistan has not given any go-ahead to the United States for launching drone attacks on its territory following the US’ expression of apology over last year’s Salala incident, Ambassador Sherry Rehman said in an interview with CNN. She said that the unilateral air strikes into Pakistani territory violate humanitarian and international law. “It’s seen as against the law. And it continues to challenge a relationship that can actually accomplish a lot more on the ground than we are doing today in eliminating terrorism.”
Commenting on the complexities of the drone programme, the envoy said it tests the bilateral relationship at every juncture. “We honestly feel that there are ‘better’ ways now of eliminating al Qaeda, which has been done with our help. We have been doing that consistently, ridding high and medium value targets consistently. We’re the heavy lifters in this relationship,” Sherry told CNN.
The ambassador observed that the drones might appear as a precise tool to target militants, but the damage they do in terms of radicalising people and challenging the bilateral relationship is much greater that the benefits. The drone strikes are not only radicalising a large population, but are also seen as predatory, she said.
The CNN said the top Pakistani diplomat in Washington played an instrumental role in resolving the dispute over November 26, 2011 US strikes on Salala posts, which had caused a sharp decline in bilateral relations and closure of the key Pakistani overland NATO supply routes into landlocked Afghanistan.
In the interview, Sherry reiterated Pakistan’s serious concerns over drone strikes on its territory. She said Pakistan considered the drone programme counterproductive and said “the concerns over drones can’t just be brushed aside.”
On the last week’s expression of remorse by the United States over the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in the American cross-border attacks on the Salala posts – the envoy said it has certainly opened the way for constructive discussions on bilateral relations. But “no, we have not agreed on anything,” she said, and added that many conversations were yet to happen. “As I said, the apology has opened the space for an opportunity where we can have constructive conversations on several strategic issues,” Sherry told CNN’s Christiana Amanpour.
Commenting on the complexities of the drone programme, the envoy said it tests the bilateral relationship at every juncture. “We honestly feel that there are ‘better’ ways now of eliminating al Qaeda, which has been done with our help. We have been doing that consistently, ridding high and medium value targets consistently. We’re the heavy lifters in this relationship,” Sherry told CNN.
The ambassador observed that the drones might appear as a precise tool to target militants, but the damage they do in terms of radicalising people and challenging the bilateral relationship is much greater that the benefits. The drone strikes are not only radicalising a large population, but are also seen as predatory, she said.
The CNN said the top Pakistani diplomat in Washington played an instrumental role in resolving the dispute over November 26, 2011 US strikes on Salala posts, which had caused a sharp decline in bilateral relations and closure of the key Pakistani overland NATO supply routes into landlocked Afghanistan.
In the interview, Sherry reiterated Pakistan’s serious concerns over drone strikes on its territory. She said Pakistan considered the drone programme counterproductive and said “the concerns over drones can’t just be brushed aside.”
On the last week’s expression of remorse by the United States over the killing of 24 Pakistani soldiers in the American cross-border attacks on the Salala posts – the envoy said it has certainly opened the way for constructive discussions on bilateral relations. But “no, we have not agreed on anything,” she said, and added that many conversations were yet to happen. “As I said, the apology has opened the space for an opportunity where we can have constructive conversations on several strategic issues,” Sherry told CNN’s Christiana Amanpour.
Read more: http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2012/07/10/news/national/us-drone-attack-programme-counterproductive-sherry/
So in spite of Pakistan's rejection and condemnation of civilian-slaughtering drones, why must more civilians and suspects continue to be slaughtered and more havoc wreaked upon the Pakistani people?
Won't those acts of militarism only incite more hatred towards the US and possible motivate some people to seek violent retaliation against those who finance and commission the violence and destruction which they've endured for years?
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