Drones Webinar Medea Benjamin 20Nov2012
23
Predator/Reaper/Ave nger drones SOURCES: Google “Drones” and make yourself a “drones” google alert Wikipedia (general atomics, predator, reaper, avenger) US Airforce Official Site www.af.mil AUVSI www.auvsi.org
-
Upload
johnlindsaypoland -
Category
News & Politics
-
view
2.984 -
download
4
description
Medea Benjamin's Powerpoint presentation on research and action on drones, part of the November 20, 2012 Webinar sponsored by Fellowship of Reconciliation. See http://forusa.org/militarism-watch
Transcript of Drones Webinar Medea Benjamin 20Nov2012
Info about Predator/Reaper/Aven
ger drones
SOURCES:Google “Drones” and make yourself a “drones” google alert
Wikipedia (general atomics, predator, reaper, avenger)
US Airforce Official Site www.af.mil
AUVSI www.auvsi.org
AeroVironment (http://www.avinc.com/) and
AeroVironment in wikipediaMiniature UAV and Micro air vehicle in wikipedia
Non-military uses:• Drug interdiction• Forest fires• Finding illegal
loggers/whalers• Search and rescue
missions• Commercial
purposes• DIY Drones
hobbyistswww.diydrones.comwww.auvsi.com
Remote control pilots
Where has the US conducted drone strikes?
• Iraq• Afghanistan• Libya• Pakistan• Yemen• Somalia• Philippines• Mali?
Where does the US have overseas drone bases?Afghanistan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia (for Yemen), Djbouti (for Somalia), Seychelles (off coast of E Africa), Ethiopia, Uganda, Burundi, Turkey, Australia (Cocos Islands)
Some US Overseas Drone Bases
Best statistics for Drone Strikes: Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia
Bureau of Investigative Journalism
New America Foundation
The Long War Journal
*Be cautious about the usage of the word ‘militant’
Maezol Khan, 8 years old, killed Feb 14, 2009
Ground Zero of Drone War- Pictures (http://tinyurl.com/c7coz25)
August 23, 2010
Syed Wali• 5 houses targeted believed
to be of Haqqani network
• Killed mostly woman and children
• No prominent Taliban/AQ leader was killed
Bismillah family, killed by drone strike on August 23, 2010
Nasir Khan (left), Naeem Khan
List of photos/victims’ names
Pictures of Drone Victims
List of names from Drone Strike that killed many civilians
We will be providing link for a list of names of the victims from several countries at droneswatch.org
New study by Stanford/NYU law schools
www.livingunderdrones.org• US drone strike policies
cause harm to the daily lives of ordinary civilians
• terrorize men, women, and children
• make them afraid to assist injured victims
• shy away from gathering in groups
• some parents keep their children out of school
• family members afraid to attend funerals
‘I was made an orphan by drones’
Legal Issues Issues:• Self-defense is limited to imminent threat• Non-military organization (CIA) cannot legally employ
lethal force Drones are illegal outside combat zones• Targets must be directly participating in hostilities• Nations cannot violate another nation’s sovereignty• 2001 AUMF is for those “associated with 9/11”
Other sources:Mary Ellen O’Connell is on the front lines in the battle against the legality of drone strikes. Article
Madea Benjamin’s book Drone Warfare
Living Under Drones: http://livingunderdrones.org
Global Proliferation
• 76 countries possess drones (GAO report)
• Main producers US, Israel, China
• Israel is number 1 exporter, exporting 85% of drones to 50 countries
• Iran has US spy drone; helping Venezuela build drones
• Unprecedented growth in market: projected value over the next 10 years is over $70 billion.
GAO Report : http://tinyurl.com/bodpq73
Drones Coming Home...Some 300 Permits given to: Homeland Security,
Border Patrol, FBI, Universities, Companies, PoliceFAA Drone Authorizations (Red: active; Blue: expired; Yellow: disapproved )
ShadowHawk drone with
Montgomery County, Texas SWAT
team members
Congressional Unmanned Vehicle Systems Caucus
Mission statement of the drone caucus: to address “The urgent need to rapidly develop and deploy more unmanned systems in support of ongoing civil, military and law enforcement operations.”
Feb. 14, 2012 new legislation passed, signed by Obama
Leadership:
Henry Cuellar(TX-28) Co-ChairBuck McKeon(CA-25)Co-Chair
Contact your congressperson here : www.opensecrets.org
Donations from drone companies to drone caucus members from border states, 2009-2012
Representative AmountBuck McKeon (R-CA) $124,500
Jerry Lewis (R-CA) $108,000
Ken Calvert (R-CA) $106,500
Silvestre Reyes (D-TX) $97,000
Duncan Hunter (R-CA) $96,225
Brian Bilbray (R-CA) $54,500
Kevin McCarthy (R-CA)$52,500
Darrell Issa (R-CA) $45,000
Source: http://tinyurl.com/d3fan8p
What can we do about drones?
• Educate yourself— buy Drone Warefare book CODEPINK• Educate others- get Occucards • Protests at bases, manufacturers • Contact police departments and pass Drone-Free Zones resolutions • Outreach to Faith Community Check Out: Drones Watch No Drones NetworkUpstate Drone ActionKnowdronesVeterans For PeaceCODEPINKWorld Can’t Wait
