Comments on: Drones in Pakistan http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/11/18/drones-in-pakistan/ Wed, 08 Feb 2012 08:45:45 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Imran Siddiqi http://blog.psaonline.org/2008/11/18/drones-in-pakistan/comment-page-1/#comment-1409629 Imran Siddiqi Fri, 21 Nov 2008 16:41:54 +0000 http://blog.psaonline.org/?p=789#comment-1409629 On the ground, some Pakistanis feel like the use of drones is our way dealing with the "no foreign forces on our soil" issue. Their use - especially when they cause "collateral damage" - contributes to the perception that we are not working WITH the people of Pakistan to help them, rather we are just using that country as the theatre for our war against Al Qaeda. That's why its no surprise that the government does not publicly acknowledge a tacit understanding. Having said that, it probably does not make sense to take drones (and other strike options that may not be reported as publicly) off the table wholesale. While we certainly need to target better, we also need to do a better job of explaining how and why use of this equipment helps both the US and Pakistan. On the ground, some Pakistanis feel like the use of drones is our way dealing with the “no foreign forces on our soil” issue. Their use – especially when they cause “collateral damage” – contributes to the perception that we are not working WITH the people of Pakistan to help them, rather we are just using that country as the theatre for our war against Al Qaeda. That’s why its no surprise that the government does not publicly acknowledge a tacit understanding.

Having said that, it probably does not make sense to take drones (and other strike options that may not be reported as publicly) off the table wholesale. While we certainly need to target better, we also need to do a better job of explaining how and why use of this equipment helps both the US and Pakistan.

]]>