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step forward in the proposal to have a joint UK-France drone came when David Cameron and French President Nicolas Sarkozy jointly signed the "Declaration on Defence and Security Co-operation", committing the two countries to work together on a number of military projects. The treaty contains the following on drones: "Unmanned Air Systems have become essential to our armed forces. We have agreed to work together on the next generation of Medium Altitude Long Endurance Unmanned Air Surveillance Systems. Co-operation will enable the potential sharing of development, support and training costs, and ensure that our forces can work together. We will launch a jointly funded, competitive assessment phase in 2011, with a view to new equipment delivery between 2015 and 2020." step forward in the proposal to have a joint UK-France __ regularly confirm the strikes to media organisations. The drone came when David Cameron and French President US argues that it has the approval of Pakistan's Nicolas Sarkozy jointly signed the "Declaration on government to undertake the strikes, but this is denied Defence and Security Co-operation"“’ committing the — by Pakistan officials. However, a US diplomatic cable wo countries to work together on a number of military released by WikiLeaks quotes Pakistani Prime Minister projects. The treaty contains the following on drones: Yousuf Gilani, in relation to the drone strikes, as saying: "Unmanned Air Systems have become essential to our _"I don't care if they do it as long as they get the right armed forces. We have agreed to work together on the people. We'll protest in the National Assembly and then next generation of Medium Altitude Long Endurance _ ignore it."” Unmanned Air Surveillance Systems. Co-operation will The number of civilian casualties attributed to the enable the potential sharing of development, support drone strikes has been fiercely contested, with estimates and training costs, and ensure that our forces can work of the proportion of civilians killed in drone strikes ogether. We will launch a jointly funded, competitive ranging from 90 per cent to 10 per cent.” assessment phase in 2011, with a view to new equipment The strikes are hugely unpopular in Pakistan, and there delivery between 2015 and 2020." are regular protests and demonstrations against them. NATO supply routes to US forces in Afghanistan, which US Drone Operations traverse Pakistan, have been blocked and convoys burned The United States is the leading user of armed drones, _ and destroyed. A number of suicide bombings carried out and operates two separate "fleets": one controlled by US __ in Pakistan have been reported to have been in response military forces and one by the Central Intelligence to the drone attacks.” Two attempted terrorist attacks in Agency (CIA).* The US first used unarmed versions of _ the US were also reported to have been in response to CIA the General Atomics Predator drone strikes in Pakistan.* drone in the Balkans war in 1995 In March 2011, a drone strike and during the 1999 NATO Q 9g on a tribal gathering in bombing of Yugoslavia.” The United States IS Miranshah, North Waziristan, Armed versions of the Predator the leading user of armed killed at least 40 people.” The were later developed, with the gathering (jirga) had been first armed strike by a US drones, and operates two called to discuss the ownership Predator drone taking place in “6 ”, of mineral rights, and many Afghanistan in November 2001.” separate fleets > one children attending with their The Reaper, a larger version of the controlled by US military families and several members Predator and able to carry more of a pro-government militia weaponry, was introduced into forces and one by the CIA. were among the dead.® The service in 2007." As of August deaths caused outrage in 2011, the USAF has 268 Predator Pakistan, with even Pakistan's drones and 79 (of a planned 400) Reaper drones in Army chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, publicly service.” It is not known how many Predator drones are — condemning the attack." operated by the CIA. In August 2011, the British-based Bureau o While the Predator and Reaper drones themselves are __ Investigative Journalism (TBIJ) released a detailed report physically located in or near the conflict areas, they are — examining civilian casualties caused by US drone strikes flown remotely via satellite communication from bases in Pakistan.*’ It found that 175 children were among a in the United States, primarily Creech Air Force Base in least 2,347 people reported killed in US attacks in Nevada. A two-person crew controls the drone, operates — Pakistan since 2004, with credible reports of at least 392 the sensors, camera and weaponry, and is in touch with civilians among the dead. In October, TBIJ reported tha the "customers"—that is, ground troops and _ according to its analysis, the number of US drone strikes commanders in the war zone.” in Pakistan since 2004 had reached 300; of those 300 strikes, 248 had taken place since Barack Obama had ¢ Pakistan become US President and were occurring on average Since 2004, the CIA has been undertaking covert drone _ once every four days. strikes in Pakistan against so-called high-value targets as In October, the British human rights organisation well as groups of alleged militants. The number of Reprieve organised a meeting with tribal leaders in strikes has increased dramatically in recent years. Inthe Islamabad on the issue of drone strikes, encouraging four years from 2004 to 2007, there were just nine them to document strikes in their local area. Three days Predator drone strikes in Pakistan. In 2010 alone, there after the meeting, one of those attending, Tariq Khan, a were 118 strikes.” 16-year-old boy from North Waziristan, was killed along While the US has never officially confirmed that it is | with his 12-year-old cousin, Waheed Khan, in a drone undertaking the strikes, unnamed official sources _ strike.” the leading user of armed drones, and operates two separate “fleets”: one wa wie controlled by US military forces and one by the CIA. in troops ° Pakistan Since 2004, the CIA has been undertaking covert drone strikes in Pakistan against so-called high-value targets as well as groups of alleged militants. The number of strikes has increased dramatically in recent years. In the four years from 2004 to 2007, there were just nine Predator drone strikes in Pakistan. In 2010 alone, there were 118 strikes. While the US has never officially confirmed that it is undertaking the strikes, unnamed official sources APRIL - MAY 2012 NEXUS ° 13 The United States is www.nexusmagazine.com