U.N. Report Critical of CIA Drone Attacks

(CBS)  Nothing has rattled terror leaders like attacks from America's unmanned aerial drones. The latest model - the Reaper - has a 66-foot wingspan and a range of over 3,600 miles. It can carry four missiles and two laser-guided bombs on missions as high as 50,000 feet.

But, CBS News National Security Correspondent David Martin reports, their growing use is drawing fire from critics.

U.S. officials claim CIA drone strikes in Pakistan have eliminated more than 500 terrorists over the past two years while killing only 30 civilians. Impressive numbers, but there is no way to verify them because no one will officially admit the strikes are taking place.

Phillip Alston is the author of a new United Nations report which argues that drone strikes amount to a "license to kill" without being held accountable -- a license the U.S. would not want any other country to have.

Read the U.N. Report

"The rules we're setting for ourselves now are the rules that we're also setting for others later," Alston said.

Think about it - an operation the U.S. government doesn't even admit exists has killed more than 500 people.

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60 Minutes: America's New Air Force

Peter Singer of the Brookings Institute has counted 137 drone attacks.

"It allows us to carry out acts of war without having to go through some of the debates that we would have in the past," Singer said.

U.S. officials say those attacks have killed sixteen high ranking terrorists -- most recently al Qaeda's number three,along with hundreds of foot soldiers and trainers.

"I think they've been very effective at killing a large number of very bad guys," Singer said.

The strikes are increasing in intensity as a new-generation drone, called the Reaper, which can carry twice as many weapons, comes on line with even more sophisticated cameras.

The strikes - in Pakistan's tribal areas - are secret because neither the U.S. nor Pakistan wants to admit that the CIA routinely violates Pakisitani sovereignty. But everybody knows who to blame.

Singer said the strikes have been "very effective in creating a large amount of anger at the U.S. that may well bite us in the long term."

Faizal Shahzad, the Times Square bomber, told investigators the drone strikes were the reason he set out to kill hundreds of innocent Americans. To which, U.S. officials say, the purpose of the strikes is to kill the Shahzad's of this world before they ever leave Pakistan.

[mjlewis6]

I believe a diplomatic solution along with a three front attack at the Pakistani highlands, US/Afghani on one border, Pakistani on the Southern border...and Indian troops on the Eastern border will pretty much eliminate the threat...it just requires a concerted PUSH by all three to eliminate ALL resistance...and done.

Want to end the war? ALL should wear blue helmets, UN style, and sift through the countryside like the Pakistani military and remove the threat to Islamabad. Pakistan is a MUSLIM democracy where women can vote.

[tsigili]

We are at war, and we will chase the Terrorists wherever they go. If the UN doesn't like that.....too bad! They are a totally useless, ineffective organization, that doesn't deserve any recognition, whatsoever.

[saranaqvi]

a tally of U.S drones killing of Pakistani Civilians can be found here
http://www.PakistanBodyCount.org

[ricscore]

What is the UN, UNder-achieving knuckleheads? I didn't know they could write?

[usunus]

The Drone report is not exactly a U.N report.It is actually a typical report by Phillip Alston,a radical human rights activist from Berkeley.He is the judge and the jury according to the U.N dispensation.

[alphaa10000]

Judge the reports on its merits, not your prejudice as a GOP bozo.

[payasyougo]

"CIA Drone Strikes in Pakistan have Eliminated More Than 500 Terrorists in Two Years"
----

Every drone has a pilot and fire control person behind the remote video cameras.

Notice to CIA: Keep up the good work!
Notice to Civilians: When a terrorist wants to set up shop in your civillian areas - take your family and leave. The terrorists don't care about you. The CIA cares about you, but not that much.

[alphaa10000]

WHY DON'T YOU PAY, INSTEAD?

Put yourself and your family in the target region. Now, imagine taking your own prim and proper advice about leaving everything behind-- extended family, home, fields, etc.-- and becoming beggars in the nearest city.

It is a much harder thing to do than you pretend, which accounts for the insistence of many, if not most villagers of remaining where they are-- in harm's way.

Yes, if we dropped leaflets about a scheduled carpet-bombing, many would leave-- and then return when judged safe. However, with drone attacks, the effect is like V1 and V2 attacks on Britain-- uncertain, unpredictable, and an attack on all civilian morale.

No doubt, you recall the effect-- not only to solidify civilian resolve, but intensify hatred of the Nazis.

[consciousnes]

This is one reason that we don't want them flying over the US. No way to tell who is controlling them, and with the technology we have in the US most anyone could hack into the controls and fire a missle. I am sure there are a few out there, but we wouldn't want to see them all the time. Too many corrupt law enforcement people out there, as has been proven time and again.
I agree with using them in place of our piloted airplanes, but like all technologies they must be tightly controled.

[marcm1]

I guess we could go back to the old days of bringing in the bombers and leveling an area with out much care of the casualties. The cost would be less also. I guess we could up the American soldier death count by sending in troops instead.
In war civilians get killed. It is unfortunate. America has gone above and beyond to keep those numbers low. How many civilians have died because of homicide (suicide)bombers? I do not see the UN or the pacifists getting all hot and bothered about that. As long as the terrorists set up their operations in villages, schools, hospitals ect, civilians will be killed. And they know that. In fact they hope it happens so they can cry to the UN about how terrible the Americans are. Think about that while sitting safely at your computer berating our troops while helping the terrorists spread their propaganda.

[alphaa10000]

FALSE AND LAZY ARGUMENT

marcm1 said, "... Think about that while sitting safely at your computer berating our troops while helping the terrorists spread their propaganda.
---

You missed the point raised by critics by a country mile.

And on purpose-- only disingenuous argument claims those critical of drone attacks "berate troops" or want al Qaeda to win.

Instead, critics oppose the drones because the end-cost is too great-- and precisely because they want to defeat al Qaeda in Afghanistan by minimizing popular unrest.

The Alston report is a chilling warning-- if we cannot trace the source of an attack from the air, how accountable is any aggressor who acquires drone technology?

An apt analogy-- US troops rolled through Iraq after winning Gulf War I, and suffered very few casualties. In Gulf War II-- Iraq-- they never imagined it could be different, or that ordinary "ragheads" could make use of stockpiles of artillery rounds lying around Iraq, unguarded.

If al Qaeda can hijack four airliners over the continental US on 911, then perhaps they can manage lesser feats. Surely, a few come to mind.

[Noval53]

The Predator and Reaper are an excellent answer to the roadside bomber and the planners & leaders in hiding that send out suicide bombers; demonstrating that what goes around comes around.

[notparicular]

This drone attack has become so highly successful that all these anti-USA elements in UN are now crying foul. Those civilians in Pakistan giving aid and comfort to the terrorists have forfeited their claim for protection. I am glad they are getting eliminated too. US has no reason to discontinue it. Go at it baby.