drone war exposed – the complete picture of cia strikes in pakistan_ tbij

8/4/2019 Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan_ TBIJ

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8/30/11 4:14 Prone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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August 10th, 2011 | by Chris Woods(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | Publishedin All Stories (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/all-stories/) , Covert Drone War(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/) ,Drones carousel

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/drones-

carousel/)

CIA dronestrikes have ledto far moredeaths inPakistan thanpreviouslyunderstood,according toextensive newresearchpublished by theBureau. Morethan 160children are

among at least 2,292 people reported killed in US attacks since 2004. Thereare credible reports of at least 385 civilians among the dead.

In a surprise move, a counter-terrorism official has also released USgovernment estimates of the numbers killed. These state that an estimated2,050 people have been killed in drone strikes of whom all but an estimated50 are combatants.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/drones-carousel/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/all-stories/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/


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The Obama

administration

must explain the

legal basis for

drone strikes in

Pakistan to avoid

the perception

that it acts with

impunity. The

Pakistan

government

must also ensure

accountability

for

indiscriminate

killing, in

violation of

international law,

that occurs

inside Pakistan,

Sam Zarifi,

Amnesty

International

Reassessment

The Bureaus fundamental reassessment of the covert US campaign involveda complete re-examination of all that is known about each US drone strike.

The study is based on close analysis of credible

materials: some 2,000 media reports; witnesstestimonies; field reports of NGOs and lawyers; secret USgovernment cables; leaked intelligence documents, andrelevant accounts by journalists, politicians and formerintelligence officers.

The Bureaus findings are published in a 22,000-worddatabase which covers each individual strike in Pakistanin detail. A powerful search engine, an extensive timelineand searchable maps accompany the data.

The result is the clearest public understanding so far ofthe CIAs covert drone war against the militants. Yet USintelligence officials are understood to be briefing againstthe Bureaus work, claiming significant problems with itsnumbers and methodologies.

Iain Overton, the Bureaus editor said: It comes as nosurprise that the US intelligence services would attackour findings in this way. But to claim our methodology isproblematic before we had even published reveals howthey really operate. A revelation that is reinforced by the

fact that they cannot bring themselves to refer to non-combatants as what they really are: civilians and, all toooften, children.

Many more strikes

The Bureaus data reveals many more CIA attacks on alleged militant targets


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than previously reported. At least 291 US drone strikes are now known tohave taken place since 2004.

The intended targets militants in the tribal areas appear to make up themajority of those killed. There are 126 named militants among the dead since

2004, though hundreds are unknown, low-ranking fighters. But as many as168 children have also been reported killed among at least 385 civilians.

More than 1,100 people are also revealed to have been injured in the USdrone attacks the first time this number has been collated.

In the wake of the Bureaus findings Amnesty International has called for moreCIA transparency. The Obama administration must explain the legal basis fordrone strikes in Pakistan to avoid the perception that it acts with impunity.The Pakistan government must also ensure accountability for indiscriminatekilling, in violation of international law, that occurs inside Pakistan, saidAmnestys Director of Asia Pacific Sam Zarifi.

The Bureaus key findings

291 CIA attacks have taken place in Pakistan 8% more thanpreviously reported. Under President Obama alone there have been236 strikes one every four days.Between 2,292 and 2,863 people are reported to have died in theattacks most of them militantsThe minimum number of reported deaths is far higher than previously

believed with 40% more recorded casualties. Most of those killedare likely to be low-ranking militants.126 named militants have so far been killed.The Bureau has collated credible news reports of 385-775 civiliansbeing killed in the attacks.The Bureau has identified credible reports of 164 children killed in the


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More than 160

children are

among at least

2,292 people

reported killed inUS attacks since

2004. There are

credible reports

of at least 385

civilians amon

drone strikes. Under President Bush, one in three of all attacks isreported to have killed a child.For the first time the Bureau has compiled accurate details ofrecorded injuries in drone strikes, revealing that at least 1,114 peoplehave been wounded.

Civilian deaths

With the US military unable to operate overtly inside Pakistan, the Obamaadministration has come to rely heavily on CIA drone strikes to attack allegedmilitants in the countrys western tribal areas. To date, at least 236 droneattacks have been ordered in Obamas name, the Bureaus research shows.

At least 1,842 people have been reported killed in the Obama strikes, most ofthem militants.

Recently, Obamas chief counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan stated thatthe president has insisted that Pakistan drone strikes do not put innocentmen, women and children in danger. Yet at least 218 of those killed in drone

attacks in Obamas time in office may have been civilians.

Civilian casualties do seem to have declined in the pastyear. Yet the Bureau still found credible evidence of atleast 45 civilians killed in some ten strikes in this time.The US continues to insist that it cant confirm anynoncombatant casualties in the past year.

The most recently reported civilian fatality was on July12. Abdul Jalil, a migrant worker home on leave fromDubai, was collateral damage when the CIA attacked acar carrying eight alleged militants, the Bureausresearchers in Waziristan report.


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the dead.Internal US figures

The US governments own internal estimates of thosekilled in the drone strikes total about 2,050, the Bureau has learnt. All but 50of these are militants, and that no non-combatants have died in the pastyear, a US counter-terrorism official noted. The Bureaus own minimumsuggested casualty figure is 2,292.

Yet a US counter-terrorism official told the Bureau that its numbers were wayoff the mark. The Washington-based official said: These actions targetmilitants planning actively to kill Afghans, Pakistanis, Europeans, andAmericans among others, and most often the operations occur when theyretraining or on the move, getting ready to attack. Over 4,000 Pakistani civilians

have been killed by terrorists since 2009the threat is clear and real.

Reprieve, the legal action charity which campaigns on human rights issuessaid: With the Bureaus findings, at last we have a hard and comprehensivelook at the facts. It is a great start. From now on, Reprieve hopes people willread official propaganda about drone warfare with a grain of saltand askthemselves whether drones are radicalizing as many young men as

Guantnamo did.

To be kept up to date on this and other stories from the Bureau, please

subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here (http://bit.ly/kfG6mq) .

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In Video: Obamas drone war

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/19/in-video-obamas-

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drone-war/)

Covert Drone War

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/27/covert-drone-

war/)

Precision is relative: an interview with Anatol Lieven

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/precision-is-

relative-an-interview-with-anatol-lieven/)

The CIA drone strike that rewrote the rules

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/the-cia-drone-

strike-that-rewrote-the-rules/)

Drone strikes rise to one every four days

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/us-drone-strikes-

rise-from-one-a-year-to-one-every-four-days/)

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Drone War in Numbers

Total killed: 2,309 - 2,880 Civilians killed: 392 - 783 Total strikes: 295 Obama strikes: 243

The Data

The complete dataset of every reported CIA drone strike inPakistan. Read it here.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drone-data/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drone-data/


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(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistan-

drone-

strikes-the-

methodology2/)

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drone-data/)

Methodology

The methodology behind the research on drone attacks. Morehere.

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistan-drone-

strikes-the-methodology2/)

Drone Graphs

Where have drone attacks taken place?

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/tableau/)

August 10, 2011 | by David Pegg(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/davidpegg/) | 2Comments

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/tableau/#comments)

A searchable database of all drone attacks in Pakistan andelsewhere.

Interactive map

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/google-map/)
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/google-map/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/tableau/#commentshttp://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/davidpegg/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/tableau/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistan-drone-strikes-the-methodology2/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drone-data/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistan-drone-strikes-the-methodology2/


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An interactive timeline of drone strikes in Pakistan between2004 and the present date.

Related articles

Al Qaeda number two killed in drone strike

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaeda-number-

two-killed-in-drone-strike/)

August 30, 2011 | by Chris Woods

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | NoComments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaeda-number-two-killed-in-drone-strike/#respond)

A CIA drone attack takes out key al Qaeda operative inPakistan.

Mystery of Australian slain by drone deepens(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/25/mystery-of-

australian-slain-by-drone-deepens/)

August 25, 2011 | by Chris Woods(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 2Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/25/mystery-

of-australian-slain-by-drone-deepens/#comments)

Nationality of a militant killed in Pakistan drone attackquestioned by Australian government.
http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/12/attacking-the-messenger-how-the-cia-tried-to-undermine-drone-study/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/25/mystery-of-australian-slain-by-drone-deepens/#commentshttp://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/25/mystery-of-australian-slain-by-drone-deepens/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaeda-number-two-killed-in-drone-strike/#respondhttp://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaeda-number-two-killed-in-drone-strike/


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Attacking the messenger: how the CIA tried to

undermine drone study

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/12/attacking-the-

messenger-how-the-cia-tried-to-undermine-drone-study/)

August 12, 2011 | by Chris Woods(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 2Comments

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/12/attacking-the-

messenger-how-the-cia-tried-to-undermine-drone-study/#comments)

The US continues to deny civilian casualties, accusing a keysource of working with the ISI.

Over 160 children reported among drone deaths

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/11/more-than-160-

children-killed-in-us-strikes/)

August 11, 2011 | by Chris Woods(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 7Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/11/more-

than-160-children-killed-in-us-strikes/#comments)

One in seven of all US strikes appear to have resulted inchild fatalities.

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