UN Official Tells ACLU Conference Obama Has Committed “War Crimes” With Drone Airstri

[Locutus]

Drone strikes threaten 50 years of international law, says UN rapporteur

US policy of using drone strikes to carry out targeted killings 'may encourage other states to flout international law'


The US policy of using aerial drones to carry out targeted killings presents a major challenge to the system of international law that has endured since the second world war, a United Nations investigator has said.

Christof Heyns, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, summary or arbitrary executions, told a conference in Geneva that President Obama's attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere, carried out by the CIA, would encourage other states to flout long-established human rights standards.

In his strongest critique so far of drone strikes, Heyns suggested some may even constitute "war crimes". His comments come amid rising international unease over the surge in killings by remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Addressing the conference, which was organised by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a second UN rapporteur, Ben Emmerson QC, who monitors counter-terrorism, announced he would be prioritising inquiries into drone strikes.


more


Drone strikes threaten 50 years of international law, says UN rapporteur | World news | guardian.co.uk

 

[CDNBear]

Oh nooo, not the great black hope too!!!

 

[gopher]

I agree that use of these dangerous weapons against civilian targets constitute war crimes. You may recall that I wrote the same thing about Bush's capricious use of this weaponry. However, since Bush was not prosecuted, it is likely that Obama will not be prosecuted as well. We must, after all, take a consistent position on this issue.

 

[EagleSmack]

 

[Niflmir]

Get with the times. People don't say that anymore.

But yeah, civilian deaths by unmanned drones is a yawn. Who cares about someone's children on the other side of the world?

 

[BaalsTears]

I would be happy to frog march Barack Obama across the Atlantic so he can stand trial in the Hague for war crimes. I love the idea of seeing Obama bound, gagged and shackled as he stands before the panel of judges. But that's just me...

 

[Niflmir]

I would be happy to frog march Barack Obama across the Atlantic so he can stand trial in the Hague for war crimes. I love the idea of seeing Obama bound, gagged and shackled as he stands before the panel of judges. But that's just me...

Yeah, that is not going to happen.

But if he were to step into Pakistan, there is a high likelihood that hundreds of average citizens would try their hardest to kill him. That is the impression I have from Pakistan at least.

 

[Nuggler]

8O..........Yep, might encourage rogue states to do the drone thing. and they might................once.


How long would it be before one could grow food in the great smoking crater which was once Iran or N.Korea??

 

[L Gilbert]

Drone strikes threaten 50 years of international law, says UN rapporteur

US policy of using drone strikes to carry out targeted killings 'may encourage other states to flout international law'


The US policy of using aerial drones to carry out targeted killings presents a major challenge to the system of international law that has endured since the second world war, a United Nations investigator has said.

Christof Heyns, the UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial killings, summary or arbitrary executions, told a conference in Geneva that President Obama's attacks in Pakistan, Yemen and elsewhere, carried out by the CIA, would encourage other states to flout long-established human rights standards.

In his strongest critique so far of drone strikes, Heyns suggested some may even constitute "war crimes". His comments come amid rising international unease over the surge in killings by remotely piloted unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Addressing the conference, which was organised by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), a second UN rapporteur, Ben Emmerson QC, who monitors counter-terrorism, announced he would be prioritising inquiries into drone strikes.


more


Drone strikes threaten 50 years of international law, says UN rapporteur | World news | guardian.co.uk

So the UN is saying that killing by mine-layers, high-flying bombers, ballistic warhead, etc. is different than killing by a dude at a control panel via a RC toy?
Did I miss something?

 

[EagleSmack]

Get with the times. People don't say that anymore.

People don't say...

"You sound like a broken record" anymore?

Don't be silly Niff.

But yeah, civilian deaths by unmanned drones is a yawn. Who cares about someone's children on the other side of the world?

That deserves a BIG YAWN

So the UN is saying that killing by mine-layers, high-flying bombers, ballistic warhead, etc. is different than killing by a dude at a control panel via a RC toy?
Did I miss something?

Oh yeah... there is no problem with car bombs, mines, and machetes LG. Just US Drones.

Hypocritical isn't it?

 

[damngrumpy]

While I have issues with the accuracy of the drones I wonder,
why people are so upset with Obama and yet these monsters
can plot against the rest of the world with impunity. I think we
need to keep the pressure on the *******we won't truly express
a feeling toward them.
Innocent People, I don't know about that there seems to be an
awful lot of so called innocent people willing to support groups
like the Muslim Brotherhood.
During WWII we had a lot more destruction with total war and
I am beginning to think we should stop fighting these groups
with one hand tied behind our backs. We are encumbered by
international law and they are not. Perhaps its time to give them
a taste of what real aggression can be. There wouldn't be much
left after that.
While I agree it wouldn't really help at this time it seems to me
these people only understand these kinds of tactics. If people
don't want to be killed by drones then they have to demand their
government do something about the thugs that live in their midst.

 

[EagleSmack]

While I have issues with the accuracy of the drones I wonder,
why people are so upset with Obama and yet these monsters
can plot against the rest of the world with impunity. I think we
need to keep the pressure on the *******we won't truly express
a feeling toward them.
Innocent People, I don't know about that there seems to be an
awful lot of so called innocent people willing to support groups
like the Muslim Brotherhood.
During WWII we had a lot more destruction with total war and
I am beginning to think we should stop fighting these groups
with one hand tied behind our backs. We are encumbered by
international law and they are not. Perhaps its time to give them
a taste of what real aggression can be. There wouldn't be much
left after that.
While I agree it wouldn't really help at this time it seems to me
these people only understand these kinds of tactics. If people
don't want to be killed by drones then they have to demand their
government do something about the thugs that live in their midst.

I don't. I don't have a problem with the president using them either.

"We are encumbered by international law and they are not."

Yes that is aggravating. But we are wise enough to know that the people pointing fingers and touting "international law" have no stones when it comes to dealing with anyone but Western Nations. International Law is a joke, it cannot be enforced and there is no teeth to enforce it.

 

[damngrumpy]

eaglesmack i agree with you. This is like the old American Civil War, the North
fooled around with the South for about three years and when they got tired of it
they ramped up and it ended pretty fast.
Not likely the best comparison but what I am saying is I don't believe anything
short of total war with the people, will bring an end to it. The only thing these
groups understand is force and death and we should give them all they can handle.
Meanwhile the International Courts are made of people who have no idea of what
reality really is.
Normally I am not a hawk by any means but I am at a stage where I think the long
term outcome has to be dealt with. Are we going to tolerate this kind of behaviour
internationally or are we going to collectively say we have had enough.
Its no just north America.
The Russians are involved with the same mormons in Chechnya, there is South East
Asian groups operating in the Philippines and Thailand etc. It is time to say enough
Put an international force together and route them from their hiding places and even
from our midst. That is not to say, all Muslims are bad or evil that is not the intent
either. I know many personally that are appalled by the action of terrorist groups.
The time has come to just kick their collective a** all over the world at once.
End of Rant

 

[EagleSmack]

Well with regards to the US Civil War... the South earned every one of those victories and kicked the s*** out of the North up until Gettysburg and Vicksburg.

But I hear what you are saying and agree.

There are Mormons in Chechnya?

 

[earth_as_one]

...But yeah, civilian deaths by unmanned drones is a yawn. Who cares about someone's children on the other side of the world?

I know you are being sarcastic...

But yes, no one will care until those children grow up, hijack airplanes and fly them into the buildings on our side of the pond. Its a small world after all.

8O..........Yep, might encourage rogue states to do the drone thing. and they might................once.


How long would it be before one could grow food in the great smoking crater which was once Iran or N.Korea??

It appears you advocate the senseless slaughter of millions of innocent men, women and children. Would it be fair to say that in your view these people aren't really human beings like us right?

So the UN is saying that killing by mine-layers, high-flying bombers, ballistic warhead, etc. is different than killing by a dude at a control panel via a RC toy?
Did I miss something?

Yes you did. Extrajudicial assassinations in another country not only violate international laws, they are also acts of war. While the Americans claim they only attack militants, the result has been that most of the dead are innocent civilians.
US Predator Drone strikes kill 80 innocent civilians in Yemen - YouTube

While I have issues with the accuracy of the drones I wonder,
why people are so upset with Obama and yet these monsters
can plot against the rest of the world with impunity. I think we
need to keep the pressure on the *******we won't truly express
a feeling toward them.
Innocent People, I don't know about that there seems to be an
awful lot of so called innocent people willing to support groups
like the Muslim Brotherhood.
During WWII we had a lot more destruction with total war and
I am beginning to think we should stop fighting these groups
with one hand tied behind our backs. We are encumbered by
international law and they are not. Perhaps its time to give them
a taste of what real aggression can be. There wouldn't be much
left after that.
While I agree it wouldn't really help at this time it seems to me
these people only understand these kinds of tactics. If people
don't want to be killed by drones then they have to demand their
government do something about the thugs that live in their midst.

Many victims are women and children. Likely they are innocent. Many of the men are probably innocent too. The US government and military knows this and they've decided the level collateral damage is acceptable.

I don't know the kill ratio of deserving militants to innocent civilians. But it sure sounds like the drones kill far more innocent civilians than deserving militants. For every innocent person these drones kill, we probably create dozens more deserving militants. I doubt these attacks are actually reducing the number of people who hate us.