U.N. opens investigation into U.S. drone killings

Sr. Airman Nicholas Hart helps guides an RQ-4 Global Hawk Block-20 into its hangar at Beale Air Force Base in Yuba County, Calif., June 30, 2008. / AP Photo/Appeal-Democrat

UNITED NATIONS A U.N. expert on Thursday launched a special investigation into drone warfare and targeted killings, which the United States relies on as a front-line weapon in its global war against al Qaeda.

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One of the three countries requesting the investigation was Pakistan, which officially opposes the use of U.S. drones on its territory as an infringement on its sovereignty but is believed to have tacitly approved some strikes in the past. Many Pakistanis say innocent civilians have also been killed in drone strikes, which the U.S. has rejected.

The other two countries requesting the investigation were not named but were identified as two permanent members of the U.N. Security Council.

The civilian killings and injuries that result from drone strikes on suspected terrorist cells will be part of the focus of the investigation by British lawyer Ben Emmerson, the U.N. rapporteur on counterterrorism and human rights.

The U.N. said Emmerson will present his findings to the U.N. General Assembly later this year.

"The exponential rise in the use of drone technology in a variety of military and non-military contexts represents a real challenge to the framework of established international law," Emmerson said in announcing the probe Thursday in London.

Emmerson said countries that use drones have "an international law obligation to establish effective independent and impartial investigations into any drone attack in which it is plausibly alleged that civilian casualties were sustained."

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John Brennan, the anti-terrorism chief who has been nominated as the next director of the Central Intelligence Agency, was the first Obama administration official to publicly acknowledge the highly secretive targeted killing operations, defending the legality of the overseas program and crediting it with protecting U.S. lives and preventing potential terror attacks. The CIA runs the drone program.

The American Civil Liberties Union has filed lawsuits against the United States over drone attacks that killed three U.S. civilians in Yemen in 2011, including an al Qaeda leader who had been born in the U.S., cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

"We welcome this investigation in the hopes that global pressure will bring the U.S. back into line with international law requirements that strictly limit the use of lethal force," said Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Security Project.

Drone strikes have been on the rise under Obama. According to the Long War Journal, which tracks such attacks, there were 35 strikes in Pakistan during 2008, the last year President George W. Bush was in office. That number grew to 117 in 2010, then fell to 64 in 2011 and 46 last year.

The program has killed a number of top militant commanders, including al Qaeda's then-No. 2, Abu Yahya al-Libi, who died in a drone strike in June.

[taylorsucram]

Truth is stranger than fiction. Grab one of the "Berserker" series of novels and you'll see the coming evolution of our Military Drones.

The Berserker series is a series of space opera science fiction short stories and novels by Fred Saberhagen, in which robotic self-replicating machines intend to destroy all life ... EVERYWHERE!

Guess what the next step is for America's Drones?

[jgg000010]

someone should tell the UN to shove their investigation up their collective butts. What a useless bunch.

[mjlewis6]

You can be sure when the US allows lethal drones with new and improved targeting capabilities to patrol American cities for drug interdiction, organized crime, and robbery, auto and theft rings....the legal community will stand by law enforcement regardless of collateral damage....right?

I am sure if it is not legal for Iran to operate drones over our US in order to kill its own Iranian citizens that oppose the Ayatollah and Amadinejad, the collateral damage of killing innocent American civilians would be denied as well.

Arrests, courts of law, and a judicial proceeding are all hallmarks of of a justice system. Both the US and Pakistan have those....and this is easier, using our 'contracted' killing machines that subvert the legal process. As such, the drones are assassins from the sky. There have to be consequences regardless of this 'war' that is not a war.

[mjvwsr]

we need to give the UN Haiti and get them the h_ll out of New York

[dday167]

HAHA, as if we really care what the UN says. The UN would die off if not for the good ol' USA anyway. I'm sure our rep's will try not to laugh while being scolded.

[daddycrc-2009]

NAACP needs to keep their stupid noses OUT of this, Or go fight themselves, But they wont, They are no better than Al SHAPIE or jesse jackson, COWARDS

[quincytodd]

This is quite a surprise since at least 70% of those killed by those ungodly drones are civilians! This, the right-wing news media never talks about since they want us to know about it. This activity needs to be outlawed once and for all. Besides, it's a bad reflection on this country!