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Drones (unmanned aerial vehicles) have become the signature weapons of
the Obama administration’s air strikes in Afghanistan
and Pakistan. Drones scout over the two countries launching
Hellfire missiles into the region missing their intended
targets, resulting in the deaths of many innocent people including children.
We call on the Obama administration to Ground the Drones! Sign
your letter today!!
Predator and Reaper drones, referred to as remotely piloted vehicles
(RPV) or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), are flown over Pakistan by the
United States Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to combat potential al-Qaeda
and Taliban leaders. The Predator and Reaper drones are piloted from the
CIA headquarters in Langley, VA and other secret locations.
Creech Air Force Base, just north of Las Vegas, is the
headquarters of the Air Force's Predator and Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles
(UAV) program. The base is one of the epicenters on the war in Afghanistan.
Take Action to Ground the Drones!
- Make the call: Call your Member of Congress's office
(find your representative here),
be polite, passionate and articulate. Explain to the aide who answers
the phone that you are concerned about the number of innocent civilians
killed by predator drone attacks, that the money going to build and
man drones could be better used at home toward life-affirming policies
like education and healthcare, and finally, how much you care about
their leadership and participation on this issue. Sign
the petition to President Obama here.
- Organize a film showing: For free you can watch the
incredible collection of Rethink
Afghanistan, which provides an excellent introduction to the U.S.
presence in Afghanistan. Click
here for more details on screenings. Or you can order a set of DVDs
here.
- Download and distribute our NEW Flier: DRONES
FACTSHEET
- Host a house party: Eating is one of the easiest
ways to bring people together (especially with busy schedules). Host
a dinner or potluck with food from Central/South Asia. Set aside a few
minutes before or after the meal to explain the latest on the use of
unmanned aerial vehicles in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
- Letter writing: Write a Letter to the Editor to your
local newspaper about the use of the Predator and Reaper drones in Afghanistan
and Pakistan. Sample letter coming soon.
- Tell us about your action! Email
codepink.drones@gmail.com
and post it to the CODEPINK
Local Spotlight
Who makes them?
Predator and Reaper drones are built by San Diego-based General Atomics
Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), a sister company to General Atomics.
The drone factory is located about 25 miles northeast from the main headquarters
in Poway, CA. Between 1998-2003 General Atomics Aeronautical Systems had
won over $980,000,000
in defense contracts. General Atomics is a leading company in a multitude
of high-tech resources giving generously to both Democrats and Republicans.
In 2008, the General
Atomics PAC spent $173,800 contributing to the Democrats and $211,300
to the Republicans.
According to The San Diego Union-Tribune article "Prowling
for Profit," the Predator and Reaper generally cost $4
million to $12 million each. The U.S.
Defense Appropriations FY2010 key investments included $489
million for 24 new Reaper drones.The upcoming U.S.
Defense Appropriations FY2011 includes: $2.2 billion for procurement
of Predator-class aircraft to increase the Combat Air Patrols (CAPs) available
to deployed forces from 37 to 65 by 2013; and doubling procurement of
the MQ-9 Reaper over the next few years.
Israel and drones
As far back as 1982 Israel used drones against Syria. In the early nineties
Israelis drones were us in the Kosovo campaign. The Israeli Air Force
invades the skies over Lebanon and patrols occupied West Bank and besieged
Gaza with drones. Twenty-nice civilians, including eight children were
killed in what appeared to be six missiles by drones in Gaza. In Beirut,
Lebanon an Israeli drone fired and killed at least 6 civilians and wounding
16. Israel refuses to confirm whether it is using armed drones over Gaza.
Isreal ranks second after the United States in the development and possession
of drones, according to those in the industry. As the drones get bigger
and move advanced the more expensive they become. Small drones cost tens
of thousands of dollars. Big drones are hugely expensive. Some costs as
much as $60 million. Elbit Systems Ltd and Israel Aerospace Industries
Ltd are the two manufacturers making the deadly drones -- Heron TP/Eitan
and Hermes 450. Between 2009-2018 the U.S. is scheduled to give Israel
30 billion dollars in military aid. The Israeli Air Force since at least
2005 have been training many operators and maintainers.
RESOURCES / ARTICLES:
Afghanistan and Civilian Casualties
Pakistan and Civilian Casualties
- Although it may never be known how many civilians have died as a result
of U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan, there are estimates of hundreds
or thousands of innocent bystanders who have perished in the
attacks. In the New America Foundation paper "Revenge
of the Drones," roughly 252-315 civilians have been killed
by Predator and Reaper drone strikes between 2006 and October 2009,
but other sources show a much greater number of casualty deaths.
- In July 2009, Daniel
Byman, a senior fellow at the Saban Center for Middle East Policy
wrote, "Sourcing on civilian deaths is weak and the
numbers are often exaggerated, but more than 600 civilians are likely
to have died from the attacks. That number suggests that for every militant
killed, 10 or so civilians also died."
- Pakistani authorities released statistics earlier in the year indicating
that between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009, U.S. Predator and
Reaper drone strikes have killed over 700 innocent
civilians.
- The website PakistanBodyCount.Org
(by Zeeshan-ul-hassan Usmani, a Fulbright Scholar at the Florida Institute
of Technology) shows an overwhelming number of 1065 civilian
casualty deaths between June 2004 to January 30, 2010 and tallying 103
drone strikes carried out by the U.S.
- With the increase of drone strikes, according to the most
recent story in The International News, January 2010
proved to be a deadly month in Pakistan with 123 innocent
civilians killed. Even though the public may never know the true count
of civilians deaths, as the CIA steps up its Predator and Reaper drone
program, the number of civilian casualties in Pakistan will undeniably
rise.
- In the February 24, 2010 policy analysis released by the New America
Foundation "The
Year of the Drone" civilian fatality rate since 2004 is approximately
32 percent. The study shows that 114 reported drone strikes in northwest
Pakistan from 2004 to present killed between 830 to 1210 individuals,
of who around 550 to 850 were militants.
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