Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan August 10th, 2011 | by Chris Woods (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | Published in All Stories (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/allstories/) , Covert Drone War (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/) , Drones carousel (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drones/dronescarousel/) CIA drone strikes have led to far more deaths in Pakistan than previously understood, according to extensive new research published by the Bureau. More than 160 children are among at least 2,292 people reported killed in US attacks since 2004. There are credible reports of at least 385 civilians among the dead. In a surprise move, a counter-terrorism official has also released US government estimates of the numbers killed. These state that an estimated 2,050 people have been killed in drone strikes of whom all but an estimated 50 are combatants. Reassessment
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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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Reassessment The Bureaus fundamental reassessment of the covert US campaign involved a 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; witness The Obama testimonies; field reports of NGOs and lawyers; secret US administration government cables; leaked intelligence documents, and must explain the relevant accounts by journalists, politicians and former legal basis for intelligence officers. drone strikes in The Bureaus findings are published in a 22,000-word database which covers each individual strike in Pakistan in detail. A powerful search engine, an extensive timeline and searchable maps accompany the data. The result is the clearest public understanding so far of Pakistan to avoid the perception that it acts with impunity. The Pakistan government must also ensure

the CIAs covert drone war against the militants. Yet US intelligence officials are understood to be briefing against accountability the Bureaus work, claiming significant problems with its for numbers and methodologies. indiscriminate Iain Overton, the Bureaus editor said: It comes as no surprise that the US intelligence services would attack our findings in this way. But to claim our methodology is problematic before we had even published reveals how they really operate. A revelation that is reinforced by the fact that they cannot bring themselves to refer to noncombatants as what they really are: civilians and, all too often, children. killing, in violation of

international law, that occurs inside Pakistan, Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International

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 to have taken place since 2004. The intended targets militants in the tribal areas appear to make up the majority of those killed. There are 126 named militants among the dead since 2004, though hundreds are unknown, low-ranking fighters. But as many as 168 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 US drone attacks the first time this number has been collated. In the wake of the Bureaus findings Amnesty International has called for more CIA transparency. 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, said Amnestys Director of Asia Pacific Sam Zarifi.

The Bureaus key findings 291 CIA attacks have taken place in Pakistan 8% more than previously reported. Under President Obama alone there have been 236 strikes one every four days. Between 2,292 and 2,863 people are reported to have died in the attacks most of them militants The minimum number of reported deaths is far higher than previously believed with 40% more recorded casualties. Most of those killed are likely to be low-ranking militants. 126 named militants have so far been killed. The Bureau has collated credible news reports of 385-775 civilians being killed in the attacks. The Bureau has identified credible reports of 164 children killed in the
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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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

Civilian deaths With the US military unable to operate overtly inside Pakistan, the Obama administration has come to rely heavily on CIA drone strikes to attack alleged militants in the countrys western tribal areas. To date, at least 236 drone attacks have been ordered in Obamas name, the Bureaus research shows. At least 1,842 people have been reported killed in the Obama strikes, most of them militants. Recently, Obamas chief counter-terrorism adviser John Brennan stated that the president has insisted that Pakistan drone strikes do not put innocent men, 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 past year. Yet the Bureau still found credible evidence of at least 45 civilians killed in some ten strikes in this time. The US continues to insist that it cant confirm any noncombatant casualties in the past year. The most recently reported civilian fatality was on July 12. Abdul Jalil, a migrant worker home on leave from Dubai, was collateral damage when the CIA attacked a car carrying eight alleged militants, the Bureaus researchers in Waziristan report.
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More than 160 children are among at least 2,292 people reported killed in US attacks since 2004. There are credible reports of at least 385 civilians among
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Internal US figures The US governments own internal estimates of those killed in the drone strikes total about 2,050, the Bureau has learnt. All but 50 of these are militants, and that no non-combatants have died in the past year, a US counter-terrorism official noted. The Bureaus own minimum suggested casualty figure is 2,292. Yet a US counter-terrorism official told the Bureau that its numbers were way off the mark. The Washington-based official said: These actions target militants planning actively to kill Afghans, Pakistanis, Europeans, and Americans among others, and most often the operations occur when theyre training 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 issues said: With the Bureaus findings, at last we have a hard and comprehensive look at the facts. It is a great start. From now on, Reprieve hopes people will read official propaganda about drone warfare with a grain of saltand ask themselves 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) . 262 413 Like Related links: In Video: Obamas drone war (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/19/in-video-obamashttp://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/most-complete-picture-yet-of-cia-drone-strikes/ Page 6 of 15

civilians among the dead.

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drone-war/) Covert Drone War (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/27/covert-dronewar/) Precision is relative: an interview with Anatol Lieven (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/precision-isrelative-an-interview-with-anatol-lieven/) The CIA drone strike that rewrote the rules (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/the-cia-dronestrike-that-rewrote-the-rules/) Drone strikes rise to one every four days (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/07/18/us-drone-strikesrise-from-one-a-year-to-one-every-four-days/) Leave a Response Name (required) Email (will not be published) (required) Website

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Search Search 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 in Pakistan. Read it here.

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

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/category/projects/drone-data/) Methodology The methodology behind the research on drone attacks. More here.

(http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistandronestrikes-themethodology2/) (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/pakistan-dronestrikes-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/) | 2 Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/tableau/#comments) A searchable database of all drone attacks in Pakistan and elsewhere.

Interactive map (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/google-map/)

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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August 10, 2011 | by David Pegg (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/davidpegg/) | 1 Comment (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/googlemap/#comments) This map details the locations of CIA drone strikes in the remote Pakistani tribal areas.

Drone statistics visualised (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/resources-andgraphs/)

August 10, 2011 | by David Pegg (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/davidpegg/) | No Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/resources-andgraphs/#respond) These graphs illustrate the Bureau's key findings.

Interactive timeline of all recorded CIA drone strikes (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/timeglider/)

August 10, 2011 | by David Pegg (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/davidpegg/) | No Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/10/timeglider/#respond)

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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An interactive timeline of drone strikes in Pakistan between 2004 and the present date. Related articles

Al Qaeda number two killed in drone strike (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaeda-numbertwo-killed-in-drone-strike/)

August 30, 2011 | by Chris Woods (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | No Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/30/al-qaedanumber-two-killed-in-drone-strike/#respond) A CIA drone attack takes out key al Qaeda operative in Pakistan.

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

August 25, 2011 | by Chris Woods (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 2 Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/25/mysteryof-australian-slain-by-drone-deepens/#comments) Nationality of a militant killed in Pakistan drone attack questioned by Australian government.

Attacking the messenger: how the CIA tried to

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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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Attacking the messenger: how the CIA tried to undermine drone study (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/12/attacking-themessenger-how-the-cia-tried-to-undermine-drone-study/)

August 12, 2011 | by Chris Woods (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 2 Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/12/attacking-themessenger-how-the-cia-tried-to-undermine-drone-study/#comments) The US continues to deny civilian casualties, accusing a key source of working with the ISI.

Over 160 children reported among drone deaths (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/11/more-than-160children-killed-in-us-strikes/)

August 11, 2011 | by Chris Woods (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/author/chris-woods/) | 7 Comments (http://www.thebureauinvestigates.com/2011/08/11/morethan-160-children-killed-in-us-strikes/#comments) One in seven of all US strikes appear to have resulted in child fatalities. Join the Debate TBIJ Covert War DRONES LIVE PierceMaBody (http://twitter.com/intent/user?
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Drone War Exposed the complete picture of CIA strikes in Pakistan: TBIJ

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(http://twitter.com/intent/user? screen_name=PierceMaBody) RT (http://twitter.com/intent/user? @MaineScott (http://twitter.com/intent/user? screen_name=PierceMaBody) screen_name=MaineScott) : How often do u g2 church, read ur bible...NEVER...yall

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