Why US Drone Attacks Should Stop in Yemen and Elsewhere!

Both the International law and US constitution prohibit killing outside of armed conflict without due process, "except as a resort to avert a concerete, specific, imminent threat of death or serious physical injury", yet the United States continues the use of drone strikes in "targeted killings" of "suspected" terrorist overseas that "might" be plotting against it without due process of law. This has caused the unaccounted deaths of hundreds in Yemen, Somalia and Pakistan and widespread anger.

The first known US drone strike approved by Obama in Yemen was in Ma’jalah, Abyan, on 17 December 2009, killing 41 local residents, including 14 women and 21 children, and 14 militants ــ alleged  Al Qaeda members ــ only one of which was confirmed to be connected to Al Qaeda. A Yemeni investigative journalist remains in prison until today for "un-covering" this story. 

A policy shift, approved in April 2012, allowed the C.I.A. and the military’s Joint Special Operations Command to strike militants in Yemen who may be plotting attacks against the United States, without necessarily knowing their identities. Thus, both the the CIA and Pentagon have been carrying drone strikes in Yemen and have separate kill lists of unconfirmed "suspects". According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism 116 drone strikes have been carried out in in Yemen since May 2011, of those attacks only 39 were confirmed by officials to be carried out by the United States. Hence, hundreds of deaths by drone strikes are unaddressed, unacknowledged and unaccounted for and many of those killed were not confirmed to be actual militants.

This year alone there have been more than 200 deaths from the strikes in Yemen. Last week a misdirected U.S drone strike killed 13 civilians, including 3 women (one of them reportedly a 10 year old girl) causing widespread anger among Yemenis as have many other strikes before.  Yemenis have protested against the strikes and so have activists on twitter who launched a #NoDrones campaign in May 2012 to express their anger towards the strikes and to demand the U.S administration to halt them. They have renewed their campaign against U.S drone strikes using the same hashtag #NoDrones.

Yemenis hold both the U.S administration and Yemeni government accountable for the loss of the civilian lives, a.k.a "collateral damage" and the killings of "suspected" militants without any proof or fair trials. Both are partners in these unlawful attacks, the former for justifying and executing the strikes and the latter for allowing them to do so.

This is what Obama said defending drone strikes:

This is what 27 leading experts in foreign policy, diplomats, security specialists, scholars, and U.S policy experts, calling for a broader approach on U.S policy towards Yemen, recommended in their letter to President Obama:

• Change the primary face of the U.S government in Yemen to alter the perception that U.S interest and attention are solely dominated by counterterrorism and security issues.
• Reevaluate the strategy of drone strikes with the recognition that it is generating significant anti-American sentiment.
• Work with Friends of Yemen to provide humanitarian aid for the more than 10 million Yemenis going hungry daily.
• Increase economic and governance aid to support democratic institution-building, so that it represents a greater proportion of overall assistance compared with military assistance
• Support the restructuring of Yemeni security towards a unified command hierarchy under Yemeni civilian leadership.

Robert Grenier, recently retired Director of the CIA Counter-Terrorism Center, wrote, “One wonders how many Yemenis may be moved in the future to violent extremism in reaction to carelessly targeted missile strikes, and how many Yemeni militants with strictly local agendas will become dedicated enemies of the West in response to U.S military actions against them.” 

And this is what Yemenis had to say: - “Dear Obama, when a U.S. drone missile kills a child in Yemen, the father will go to war with you, guaranteed. Nothing to do with Al Qaeda,” a Yemeni lawyer warned on Twitter. 
-  “I will join even Satan if I have to in order to get revenge for my wounded 7 year old son,” said one angered father from Jaar who preferred to remain anonymous.  
- "Indeed, the drone program is leading to the Talibanization of vast tribal areas and the radicalization of people who could otherwise be America’s allies in the fight against terrorism in Yemen," said Ibrahim Mothana, a democracy activist.  
- Salim al-Barakani, a businessman who's two brothers — one a teacher, the other a cellphone repairman — were killed in a U.S. strike in March said "these attacks are making people say, ‘We believe now that al-Qaeda is on the right side.’ ” 
- Mohammed al-Ahmadi, legal coordinator for Karama, a local human rights group said “every time the American attacks increase, they increase the rage of the Yemeni people, especially in al-Qaeda-controlled areas.”  
- “There is more hostility against America because the attacks have not stopped al-Qaeda, but rather they have expanded, and the tribes feel this is a violation of the country’s sovereignty,” said Anssaf Ali Mayo, Aden head of Yemen's al-Islah Islamist party. 
- "This is seen from the fact that US strikes are seen as an invasion, an occupation and a breach of sovereignty," said a citizen journalist.  
- Local activist Nasr Abdullah told CNN, ‘I would not be surprised if a hundred tribesmen joined the lines of al Qaeda as a result of the latest drone mistake. This part of Yemen takes revenge very seriously.’  
- Listen to what Yemenis said in this HuffPostLive video. More had been said by Yemenis and others in this storify, and this too.  And this is what Pakistanis had to say about the U.S drone strikes:

A USAID official boasted about the U.S being the largest provider of humanitarian aid, in the last Yemen donor conference held in Riyadh. Yet, what Yemen needs most besides aid is for the drone strikes to end. There is nothing human in the use of drone strikes to "fight terrorism" in Yemen. U.S drone strikes continue to destabilize the country further, instill fear in the civilans who can be possible targets, breeds resentment towards the U.S, and increases militants in Yemen and thus terror. In fact al- Qaeda has been growing in numbers since the U.S strikes intensified in Yemen, they were estimated to be 300 members in 2009 and despite the ongoing drone strikes and constant reported killings of al- Qaeda militants and "suspected' militants, they are now reported to be more than 700, i.e  more than double the initial figure. This clearly indicates, as many experts have stressed, that the U.S counter terrorism policy in Yemen needs to be seriously examined and consequently re-evaluated. 

In summary : "U.S drones have not only resulted in death and destruction, but have also been counter productive to the counter-terrorism efforts, because with each casualty, militants groups gain more members."

Related links: Interactive Map: America's War in Yemen Drone Death in Yemen of an American Teenager  : (Birth Certificate)  Families of Americans Killed by Drones to File Suite :  (The Complaint) In Yemen. U.S. Airstrikes breed anger and sympathy for al-Qaeda   How Drones Help Al Qaeda US War on Yemen: Invisible Casualties US War on Yemen: The View From the Ground 29 Death in 8 Days as U.S Puts Drones On Over Drive The Failed US Policy in Yemen Dodging the drones: How militants responded to the covert US campaign It is uncertain whether America's drones have their intended effect A new analysis finds five ways drones strikes in Yemen are hurting American interests Video: How Drone Strike Help Al Qaeda Drone strikes threatens 50 years of International Law, says UN rapporteur Obama's 'kill list': Short term CT efforts undermine U.S Long-term goals  Obama's Drone Surge in Yemen Ignored at Home

Taiz is Bleeding

The 'Taiz is bleeding' poster

Yemen's third largest city Taiz has been the throbbing heart of the Yemeni revolution and for the past few months has also become its bleeding heart, especially since President Ali Abdullah Saleh's forces intensified their violent attacks on the city since May 26, 2011. That day is known as the Taiz Massacre, when Freedom Square was attacked and protesters' tents in the sit-in area were set on fire resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Taiz has since become known as the city of resilience.

NajlaMo acknowledges that in her tweet:

Thank you #Taiz for starting and (will finish) what we should have started many years ago, you are the brave city and so is ur ppl. #Yemen

The revolution in Yemen continues despite the inking of the unpopular Gulf Cooperation Council-brokered deal. Marches still continue as forceful as ever, rejecting the deal, demanding the fall of the regime and Saleh's prosecution.

Nothing changed for the city of Taiz after the signing of the GCC initiative, on November 23, as the attacks on the city intensified and the indiscriminate shelling on the residential areas by Saleh's forces has continued.

According to the deal, all military forces would be withdrawn from the streets of the cities and retire to their barracks once a military committee is formed within five days of signing the initiative. This has not been the case. On the contrary, more military reinforcement are reported to have reached the city, an explicit breech to the deal.

The deal also calls upon Saleh to step down and transfer power to Vice President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.

This video posted by FreeDomTaiz shows the intensity of the violent attacks that Taiz is enduring every night for the past months:

The resilient people of Taiz shelled overnight, go out the very next morning in marches to condemn the violence they face daily, which destroys their homes, kills their loved ones and terrorizes their children. They take to the streets to express their steadfastness and commitment to the revolution. They chant “Taiz is free and will not kneel, even if a thousand cannons were fired.” (video posted by taizcitynet)

The following two videos show the attacks on the city even in broad daylight (both posted bymediacentersanaa):

Meanwhile, Yemeni activist Atiaf Alwazir raises a valid point highlighting the continued violence despite the signing of the deal and asks what are the ramifications of such a breech:

@womanfromYemen:

due to violence in #Taiz, will the #UN seek sanctions against violators of #GCC mechanism or seek a ban on military supplies to #Yemen ?

The GCC deal is perceived by many as a “License to Kill” for Saleh and his forces.@SupportBahrainRights expressed this in his tweets:

@WomanfromYemen GCC deal has legitimized crimes against humanity in #Yemen. @noonarabia @summernasser @Afrahnasser #Taiz #UN #No2GCCdeal

and @FahdAqlan adds:

In #Taiz .. nobody has immunity to be killed .. except the killers !! #Yemen #No2GCCDeal

@alruwaishan also criticizes the GCC deal and the West's silence towards the violence in Taiz. He tweets:

The West doesn't want to help, the GCC and it's deal are worthless, and the media is oblivious. #Taiz is burning.

@Ulfat points out:

How are #GCC responding to failure of initiative? If they're not condemning violence in #Taiz, they never intended it to succeed. #Yemen

She raises a question to two official UN Twitter accounts:

@UN_Spokesperson @UN_HRC All twitter reports out of #Taiz today indicate the violence is ongoing. What's your position on this? #Yemen

@bajaberyemen tweets the latest figures as reported by Yemeni local paper Yemen Post on December 3rd:

Death Toll Rises to 28 in Three Days in #Taiz #Yemen yemenpost.net/Detail12345678…

AinYemenEng tweets the total deaths since the GCC deal was signed:

#Yemen Ain News: Since the signing in Riyadh: 33 martyrs and more than 152 wounded since the signing of the gulf… fb.me/U0Ap9ksS

Currently, the formation of the unity government is pending the formation of the military committee, yet Saleh once again objects to the members chosen by the JMP (Joint Meeting Parties) to be part of the military committee.

@alguneid a Yemeni veteran activist, based in Taiz tweets the reason for the delay:

#Yemen won't have a cabinet till Opposition & Saleh side agree on Military Committee. Saleh, objects to #JMPs nominees akhbaralyom.net/news_details.p…

He @alguneid adds:

Hadi: Won't form Military committee, till opposition forms cabinet. Opposition: Won't form cabinet till Hadi forms committee.You're in #Yemen

While the politicians disagree and the military continue their attack on the city, civil society attempts to play a vital role to save the civilians being targeted. Activists in Yemen are organizing a Support Taiz Caravan loaded with medical supplies, which will include MPs that represent the city, as well as youth and foreign journalists. Donations within Yemen and abroad are being collected to support the besieged city of Taiz.

@YemenPeaceNews explains:

Donations for #SupportTaizCaravan starting to roll in. You too can help us save lives!bit.ly/nTCPem #SupportYemen #Yemen #Taiz #yf

Journalist Jeb Boone sums up the GCC deal in his blog. He articulates his point by highlighting what needs to be done:

For true change to take place in Yemen, both the old guard of day to day politics and the military must be removed, especially members of Saleh’s family. His party, the General People’s Congress, still holds the majority of parliament and may continue to do so after elections with the presence of Saleh loyalist able to make small tweaks to election results. Yemen must start fresh. Like Egypt and the NDP, Yemen’s GPC should be dissolved to allow for a new parliamentarian structure to be built from the ground up. Most importantly, the sons of a deposed dictator must no longer hold sway over the nation’s military. Unless policymakers in the US, EU, GCC, and UN are willing to help Yemenis dislodge Saleh’s presence from the country entirely, his power will be only nominally diminished.

Saleh's family still control the military, which is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of civilians. The GCC deal did not change anything on the ground. The revolution continues through the peaceful marches across Yemen and so does the violence on civilians by Saleh's forces in many Yemeni cities. Yet Taiz seems to be paying the heaviest price. Tweeps have used the hashtags #Savetaiz and#TaizIsBleeding to draw attention to the city's tribulation.

@A_Al3ansy: sends an appeal through a picture saying ‘Taiz is under fire, stop the violence on it.”

#SaveTaiz #Taiz #Yemen #SupportYemen pic.twitter.com/qbF5CHNV

Image by @A_Al3nsy

* This post was first published in Global Voices on Dec 4th, 2011