Opinion

Drone strikes should stop

Posted June 05, 2013 5:00 am

Obama’s promises to reduce the extent of the War on Terror have not been less exemplified than the drone strikes in Pakistan. While such efforts are intended to eliminate terrorists, the strikes affect civilians more than anything and further undermine their trust in the U.S.’s involvement.

Since 2004, more than 3,000 Pakistanis have been killed by drone strikes and less than 2 percent of those deaths are the intended targets. Rather than stopping the drone program that originated under George W. Bush’s administration, President Obama has only amplified its use and remains superficial in truly restoring balance in Pakistan.

The drone strikes in FATA violate Pakistani sovereignty, and while recent polls (from Gallup) indicate that even the U.S. public favorably view the strikes, the Pakistani government and its civilians do not give their consent for their territory to be bombarded upon.

Moreover, drone strikes undermine Pakistani democracy and incite civilians to be more militant.

President Obama should stop the use of drones in Pakistan, for not only does he fail the Pakistanis, but further dilutes his legacy as a Nobel Peace Prize winner.

Janine Abuyuan

Mundelein

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