Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
Sunday, December 12, 2010
EU TRADE CONCESSIONS NOT ONLY FOR PAKISTAN
India oppose EU Trade Concessions To Pakistan
India and the European Union are seeking a compromise on an EU plan to offer flood-devastated Pakistan trade concessions as relief, both sides said at a summit on Friday.
Prompted by Britain, leaders of the 27-nation bloc have approved a scheme to offer two years of trade concessions to Pakistan essentially on textiles to ease its recovery from the floods, but need a waiver from the World Trade Organisation in Geneva to kick-start the aid.
India however has expressed concerns over the plan at the 153-nation Geneva-based WTO, while Peru and Brazil too have called for consultations, meaning the waiver remains in doubt.
Asked at a news conference whether India would support the EU scheme in Geneva, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appeared to reiterate Delhi`s stand that trade-linked aid was not the ideal way to relieve Pakistan, but said talks to come to a joint position were continuing.
“The EC (European Commission) officials are in touch with their Indian counterparts on this and we will satisfactorily resolve this matter,” Mr. Singh said in response to a question.
“We support all international efforts to provide succour to the flood victims of Pakistan through direct aid and grant assistance. On the other part we too had offered and remain willing to support the victims of natural calamities through relief assistance,” he added.
European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said targeted market access to the EU for Pakistan was aimed at helping flood victims and bolstering the country.
“The stability of Pakistan is in everyone`s interest,” he said.
He added that he was “aware that partners, including India, might have questions and concerns. We are discussing this with our partners,” Mr Barroso said.
India and the European Union are seeking a compromise on an EU plan to offer flood-devastated Pakistan trade concessions as relief, both sides said at a summit on Friday. Prompted by Britain, leaders of the 27-nation bloc have approved a scheme to offer two years of trade concessions to Pakistan essentially on textiles to ease its recovery from the floods, but need a waiver from the World Trade Organisation in Geneva to kick-start the aid.
India however has expressed concerns over the plan at the 153-nation Geneva-based WTO, while Peru and Brazil too have called for consultations, meaning the waiver remains in doubt.
Asked at a news conference whether India would support the EU scheme in Geneva, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh appeared to reiterate Delhi`s stand that trade-linked aid was not the ideal way to relieve Pakistan, but said talks to come to a joint position were continuing.
“The EC (European Commission) officials are in touch with their Indian counterparts on this and we will satisfactorily resolve this matter,” Mr. Singh said in response to a question.
“We support all international efforts to provide succour to the flood victims of Pakistan through direct aid and grant assistance. On the other part we too had offered and remain willing to support the victims of natural calamities through relief assistance,” he added.
European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso said targeted market access to the EU for Pakistan was aimed at helping flood victims and bolstering the country.
“The stability of Pakistan is in everyone`s interest,” he said.
He added that he was “aware that partners, including India, might have questions and concerns. We are discussing this with our partners,” Mr Barroso said.
ENERGY CRISESS SHOUD REMOVE FROM PAKISTAN
TAPI Gas Pipeline Project Comes Back to Life
Pakistan on Saturday joined Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and India in signing the long-awaited over $7.6 billion gas pipeline project to help it meet its sharply rising industrial and domestic demands.
The inter-governmental agreement (IGA) was signed by President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, almost 15 years after the project was envisioned. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not attend the summit as he was away to attend the India-EU summit at Brussels.
The Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) had been signed by the petroleum ministers of their respective countries with Syed Naveed Qamar representing Pakistan.
The 1,680 kilometre long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, backed by the Asian Development Bank, would bring 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (bcfd) from Turkmenistan’s gas fields to Multan in central Pakistan and end in the northwestern Indian town of Fazilka. Under the IGA, the four nations would commit to provide government support, including security for the pipeline.
The construction of the pipeline is likely to commence soon and would be completed by 2013-14. The project would help overcome Pakistan’s growing energy crisis that has caused electricity shortage and protests across the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement to reporters, said gas connectivity through the project would add to regional prosperity by increasing synergies of economies, and would reinforce the institutional framework for expanding cooperation with each other. The president said Pakistan was an energy deficient country and welcomed its partnership in the project, adding that Pakistan’s keenness for successful implementation of TAPI was evident of its quest for shared prosperity and economic development.
He said Turkmenistan’s policy of permanent neutrality had ensured focus on economic development. He said it had enabled it to enter into a strategic energy partnership with its South Asian neighbours.
Zardari said the gas pipeline project would also bring economic dividends for Turkmenistan and contribute to the impressive pace of development under the visionary leadership of its president, Berdimuhammedov.
Meanwhile, addressing the summit to ink the historic agreement, Zardari assured of complete security and full support to the multi-billion-dollar project, and said it would change the development paradigm of the entire region.
“We shall work together to bring this project to early fruition,” he said.
“This resource-rich region can complement the economies of our countries,” Zardari said and added trans-regional development cooperation held the critical key to promoting durable stability and economic development in the region.
Pakistan on Saturday joined Turkmenistan, Afghanistan and India in signing the long-awaited over $7.6 billion gas pipeline project to help it meet its sharply rising industrial and domestic demands.
The inter-governmental agreement (IGA) was signed by President Asif Ali Zardari, Afghan President Hamid Karzai, Turkmen President Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov and Indian Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, almost 15 years after the project was envisioned. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh could not attend the summit as he was away to attend the India-EU summit at Brussels.
The Gas Pipeline Framework Agreement (GPFA) had been signed by the petroleum ministers of their respective countries with Syed Naveed Qamar representing Pakistan.
The 1,680 kilometre long Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline, backed by the Asian Development Bank, would bring 3.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (bcfd) from Turkmenistan’s gas fields to Multan in central Pakistan and end in the northwestern Indian town of Fazilka. Under the IGA, the four nations would commit to provide government support, including security for the pipeline.
The construction of the pipeline is likely to commence soon and would be completed by 2013-14. The project would help overcome Pakistan’s growing energy crisis that has caused electricity shortage and protests across the country.
President Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement to reporters, said gas connectivity through the project would add to regional prosperity by increasing synergies of economies, and would reinforce the institutional framework for expanding cooperation with each other. The president said Pakistan was an energy deficient country and welcomed its partnership in the project, adding that Pakistan’s keenness for successful implementation of TAPI was evident of its quest for shared prosperity and economic development.
He said Turkmenistan’s policy of permanent neutrality had ensured focus on economic development. He said it had enabled it to enter into a strategic energy partnership with its South Asian neighbours.
Zardari said the gas pipeline project would also bring economic dividends for Turkmenistan and contribute to the impressive pace of development under the visionary leadership of its president, Berdimuhammedov.
Meanwhile, addressing the summit to ink the historic agreement, Zardari assured of complete security and full support to the multi-billion-dollar project, and said it would change the development paradigm of the entire region.
“We shall work together to bring this project to early fruition,” he said.
“This resource-rich region can complement the economies of our countries,” Zardari said and added trans-regional development cooperation held the critical key to promoting durable stability and economic development in the region.
Friday, December 10, 2010
WE SHOUD STAND ON THE GATE OF THIRD WORLD WAR
Hackers like Assange could set the pattern of the Third World War
Experts fear that the hackers like Assange could set the pattern for the new World War, which would likely to render all the present day armaments worth trillions of dollars useless and mere heaps of scraps, while the cyber warfare expertise of the warring parties would be playing a decisive factor in winning or losing the war. The US and its allies do not seem to be as much worried over the WikiLeaks deluge that we generally believe would harm their interests. It is in fact much more than that--their hegemonic grip over the world appears seriously dented---their oligarchic control over the technology is being threatened, which enabled them to hang on with their neo-colonial world setup thus far unchallenged.
The very prospect of an ordinary person or group of persons mastering the computer technology and using it as a hi-tech weapon threatening the global powers’ supremacy has taken the breath out of the present day global rulers caught unaware and suffering the ignominy at the hands of a hacker, fortunately, doesn’t seem to be from among any militant/extremist groups. The very thought of this technology could get infinitely destructive and its easy accessibility to any person or group of persons has left the world all the more dangerous because the danger being not far away from the tick of a mouse.
It is reported that an army of computer hackers is planning to bring down British government websites, if Julian Assange, the founder of WikiLeaks, is extradited to Sweden. He is due to appear before City of Westminster magistrate’s court on Tuesday, where his lawyers will attempt to secure his release on bail.
The 1,500-strong network of online activists has already sabotaged the websites of MasterCard, Visa and the Swedish government with millions of bogus visits. The attacks, termed “Operation Payback”, came after the credit card companies and PayPal, an online payment firm, announced that they would no longer process donations to the anti-secrecy organisation.
The group of hackers, called Anonymous, said it would target British government websites if Mr Assange was extradited to Sweden, where he is wanted over allegations of sexual assault. Gregg Housh, an American internet activist who previously worked with the hackers, said: “They will go after the weakest links, because they want to see results. They will probably test a few sites and then decide.”
The hackers said they were planning to target Amazon, the online retailer. A message posted on their Twitter account yesterday stated: “Target: www.Amazon.com locked on!!!”
Mr. Assange was arrested by the Metropolitan Police’s extradition squad earlier this week after Swedish prosecutors issued an international arrest warrant.
He has been accused by two women of one count of rape, two of sexual molestation and one of unlawful coercion. He denies the allegations and says that the sex was consensual.
One of the hackers said: “It is definitely an information war. The core principle behind it is [that] information is free, governments keep information to themselves, WikiLeaks releases it to the general public and the war occurs.”
The hackers’ actions so far have been essentially attacks by volume, known as DDoS, or distributed denial of service, in which the target site is hit with increased numbers of visitors with the intention of exceeding its capabilities and forcing it to crash. In this case, hundreds of volunteers have downloaded something called a botnet, which aids the distribution of the command to attack the site. The volunteer hackers wait until they are given a signal on an internet chat room, before launching the attack. The attacks are illegal in Britain and carry a maximum sentence of two years.
A spokesman for PayPal insisted that, despite the attack, the site had not been disrupted. “As far as we are aware there hasn’t been any further impact on the site.”
Thursday, December 9, 2010
WORLD SHOUD FACE NEW CRISIS
Saudi Arabia Cash Machine For Terrorists:Wiki Leaks
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of funds for terrorist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba – but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to a report by The Guardian quoting Hillary Clinton.
“More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al Qaeda, the Taliban, LeT and other terrorist groups,” says a secret December 2009 paper signed by the US secretary of state. Her memo urged US diplomats to redouble their efforts to stop Gulf money reaching terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” she said. Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of terrorist money – Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
The other major headache for the US in the Gulf region is the UAE. The Afghan Taliban and their partners, the Haqqani network, earn “significant funds” through UAE-based businesses, according to one report. The Taliban extort money from the large Pakhtun community in the UAE.
Kuwait is also described as a “source of funds and a key transit point” for al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. While the government has acted against attacks on its own soil, it is “less inclined to take action against Kuwait-based financiers and facilitators plotting attacks outside of Kuwait”.
There is little information about militant fundraising in the fourth Gulf country singled out, Qatar, other than to say its “overall level of couter-terrorism cooperation with the US is considered the worst in the region”.
But foreign leaders have resisted US pressure for more aggressive crackdowns on suspected supporters of terrorism, according to The New York Times. In private meetings, they have accused US officials of pursuing Arab charities and individuals in a heavy-handed manner and on thin evidence.
Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest source of funds for terrorist groups such as the Afghan Taliban and Lashkar-e-Tayyaba – but the Saudi government is reluctant to stem the flow of money, according to a report by The Guardian quoting Hillary Clinton.“More needs to be done since Saudi Arabia remains a critical financial support base for al Qaeda, the Taliban, LeT and other terrorist groups,” says a secret December 2009 paper signed by the US secretary of state. Her memo urged US diplomats to redouble their efforts to stop Gulf money reaching terrorists in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
“Donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide,” she said. Three other Arab countries are listed as sources of terrorist money – Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.
The other major headache for the US in the Gulf region is the UAE. The Afghan Taliban and their partners, the Haqqani network, earn “significant funds” through UAE-based businesses, according to one report. The Taliban extort money from the large Pakhtun community in the UAE.
Kuwait is also described as a “source of funds and a key transit point” for al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. While the government has acted against attacks on its own soil, it is “less inclined to take action against Kuwait-based financiers and facilitators plotting attacks outside of Kuwait”.
There is little information about militant fundraising in the fourth Gulf country singled out, Qatar, other than to say its “overall level of couter-terrorism cooperation with the US is considered the worst in the region”.
But foreign leaders have resisted US pressure for more aggressive crackdowns on suspected supporters of terrorism, according to The New York Times. In private meetings, they have accused US officials of pursuing Arab charities and individuals in a heavy-handed manner and on thin evidence.
PAKISTANI PEOPLES STILL WAIT HIS INDIPENDENT JUDICIARY !
Pakistan’s Justice System Needs Reforms:JUDICIARY
ICG
The ineffectiveness of Pakistan’s criminal justice system has serious repercussions for domestic, regional and international security. Given the gravity of internal security challenges, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government, and the four provincial governments should make the reform of an anarchic criminal justice sector a top domestic priority.
The latest report from the International Crisis Group made several recommendations to the higher judiciary, including respect the separation of powers enshrined in the constitution by limiting the Supreme Court’s use of suo moto powers to extreme cases of fundamental rights violations and prohibiting the provincial high courts from taking suo moto action, in accordance with the constitution.
Pakistan’s federal government and provincial governments must revoke discriminatory laws, amend the Criminal Procedure Code to establish a robust witness protection program, recast the Anti-Terrorism Act and repeal parallel court systems. The police’s investigative capacity must be strengthened, external interference in investigations prevented and a comprehensive review conducted to assess gaps in personnel, training and resource needs. Policymakers and judges should not give in to populist quick fixes that only limit the justice system’s capacity to enforce the law.
The report said low conviction rate – between five and 10 percent at best – may be unsurprising in a system so resistant to reform. When prosecutors fail to get convictions in major cases such as the June 2008 Danish embassy bombing, the September 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad, and the March 2009 attack on a police academy in Lahore, public confidence in the state’s ability to respond to terrorism is dramatically weakened.
Given the absence of scientific evidence collection methods and credible witness protection programmes, police and prosecutors rely mostly on confessions by the accused, which are inadmissible in court. Terrorists and other major criminals are regularly released on bail, or their trials persist for years even as they plan operations from prison, said the report.
The report also examines Pakistan’s criminal justice sector and urges the government to take immediate action for reform. Investigators are poorly trained, prosecutors fail to build strong cases that stand up in court, and there is a lack of access to basic data and modern tools. Moreover, corruption, intimidation and external interference, including by the military’s intelligence agencies, compromise cases before they even come to court. As a result, domestic stability is undermined, and the public’s confidence in the law is weakened.
Wresting civilian control over counter-terrorism policy, a key challenge of the current democratic transition, will require massive investments in police and prosecutors, specifically to enhance investigative capacity and case building. Successes in combating serious crime, including kidnappings-for-ransom and sectarian terrorism, during the democratic transition of the 1990s demonstrate that civilian law enforcement agencies can be effective when properly authorised and equipped. With the scale of violence far greater today, the government needs all the more to utilise political and fiscal capital to modernise the criminal justice sector.
Of course, criminal justice cannot be isolated from the broader challenges of the democratic transition. The repeated suspension of the constitution by military regimes, followed by extensive reforms to centralise power and to strengthen their civilian allies, notably the religious right, have undermined constitutionalism and the rule of law.
ICG
The ineffectiveness of Pakistan’s criminal justice system has serious repercussions for domestic, regional and international security. Given the gravity of internal security challenges, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP)-led government, and the four provincial governments should make the reform of an anarchic criminal justice sector a top domestic priority. The latest report from the International Crisis Group made several recommendations to the higher judiciary, including respect the separation of powers enshrined in the constitution by limiting the Supreme Court’s use of suo moto powers to extreme cases of fundamental rights violations and prohibiting the provincial high courts from taking suo moto action, in accordance with the constitution.
Pakistan’s federal government and provincial governments must revoke discriminatory laws, amend the Criminal Procedure Code to establish a robust witness protection program, recast the Anti-Terrorism Act and repeal parallel court systems. The police’s investigative capacity must be strengthened, external interference in investigations prevented and a comprehensive review conducted to assess gaps in personnel, training and resource needs. Policymakers and judges should not give in to populist quick fixes that only limit the justice system’s capacity to enforce the law.
The report said low conviction rate – between five and 10 percent at best – may be unsurprising in a system so resistant to reform. When prosecutors fail to get convictions in major cases such as the June 2008 Danish embassy bombing, the September 2008 Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad, and the March 2009 attack on a police academy in Lahore, public confidence in the state’s ability to respond to terrorism is dramatically weakened.
Given the absence of scientific evidence collection methods and credible witness protection programmes, police and prosecutors rely mostly on confessions by the accused, which are inadmissible in court. Terrorists and other major criminals are regularly released on bail, or their trials persist for years even as they plan operations from prison, said the report.
The report also examines Pakistan’s criminal justice sector and urges the government to take immediate action for reform. Investigators are poorly trained, prosecutors fail to build strong cases that stand up in court, and there is a lack of access to basic data and modern tools. Moreover, corruption, intimidation and external interference, including by the military’s intelligence agencies, compromise cases before they even come to court. As a result, domestic stability is undermined, and the public’s confidence in the law is weakened.
Wresting civilian control over counter-terrorism policy, a key challenge of the current democratic transition, will require massive investments in police and prosecutors, specifically to enhance investigative capacity and case building. Successes in combating serious crime, including kidnappings-for-ransom and sectarian terrorism, during the democratic transition of the 1990s demonstrate that civilian law enforcement agencies can be effective when properly authorised and equipped. With the scale of violence far greater today, the government needs all the more to utilise political and fiscal capital to modernise the criminal justice sector.
Of course, criminal justice cannot be isolated from the broader challenges of the democratic transition. The repeated suspension of the constitution by military regimes, followed by extensive reforms to centralise power and to strengthen their civilian allies, notably the religious right, have undermined constitutionalism and the rule of law.
PAKISTAN LOSE HIS AUTONOMY ??
UN criticism not likely to stop CIA drone strikes 
The U.S. government's covert program using unmanned drones to strike at terrorists inside Pakistan is unlikely to stop or be changed, despite new criticism from a U.N. human rights expert. U.S. officials insist the CIA program has been an effective tool to take out insurgents along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, particularly those hidden beyond the reach of the military. The stepped-up use of drones over the past year has shown no signs of slowing down and was credited this week with the killing inside Pakistan of al-Qaida's third in command. Al-Qaida acknowledged the death of Mustafa al-Yazid.
The Obama administration does not acknowledge the secret program, but one senior U.S. official defended its use Wednesday, saying a careful and rigorous targeting process is used to avoid civilian casualties. The official, who is familiar with the operation, spoke on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The program, which officials say has killed hundreds of insurgents in dozens of strikes during the past year, has been condemned by critics who say it may constitute illegal assassinations and violate international law. They argue that intelligence officers conducting the strikes could be at risk of prosecution for murder in other countries.
In a 29-page report released Thursday, Philip Alston, the independent U.N. investigator on extra-judicial killings, called on countries to lay out rules and safeguards for carrying out the strikes, publish figures on civilian casualties and prove they have attempted to capture or incapacitate suspects without killing them.
``Unlike a state's armed forces, its intelligence agents do not generally operate within a framework which places appropriate emphasis upon ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law, rendering violations more likely and causing a higher risk of prosecution both for war crimes and for violations of the laws of the state in which any killing occurs,'' wrote Alston, a New York University professor.
The report to the U.N. Human Rights Council puts unwanted scrutiny on the intelligence operations of the United States, Israel and Russia, who Alston says are all credibly reported to have used drones to kill alleged terrorists and insurgents. He said the drone strikes by intelligence agencies launched in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere are particularly fraught because of the secrecy surrounding them.
Other experts disagree. ``Drone operations are essential,'' said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Saban Center. ``The drones are part of a much broader effort to put pressure on al-Qaida through the war in Afghanistan. They're the cutting edge of the pressure, but they're not the only pressure.''
Earlier this week, al-Qaida leaders confirmed that a drone strike in Pakistan had killed the terror group's No. 3 officer and top commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa al-Yazid. The confirmation alleged that his wife, three daughters, a grandchild and others died with him.
U.S. authorities routinely refuse to talk openly or release data about the program, but as criticism has heightened they have slowly begun to respond quietly to the complaints. ``Without discussing or confirming any specific action or program, this agency's operations unfold within a framework of law and close government oversight,'' said CIA spokesman George Little. ``The accountability's real, and it would be wrong for anyone to suggest otherwise.''
The senior U.S. official said Thursday that the drones use precision targeting, and civilian casualties have been overstated. In describing the decision-making process, the official said the strikes are launched only when a vetted target comes into clear view, and much like the military, intelligence officers take into account the principles of necessity, the need for a carefully weighed response and the obligation to minimize innocent civilian casualties.
The U.S. official cited Pakistan, where he said there was no evidence to prove large numbers of innocent lives have been lost to drone strikes. This view has been challenged by human rights groups and independent observers, who say remotely operated drones risk ingraining a video game mentality about war and can never be as accurate as eyewitness confirmation of targets from the ground. ``The point is that innocent people have been killed, this has been proved over and over again,'' said Louise Doswald-Beck, a professor of international law at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland. ``If you don't have enough personnel on the ground, the chances of your having false information is actually quite huge,'' she told a US News agency.
The report also warns that CIA personnel could be extradited to those countries where the targeted killing takes place and would not have the same immunity from prosecution as regular soldiers. Alston claims more than 40 countries now have drone technology, with several seeking to equip them with lethal weapons. Doswald-Beck said the next step could be the development of fully autonomous drones and battlefield robots, programmed to identify and kill enemy fighters without human controllers to ensure targets are legitimate. ``If that's the case, you've got a major problem,'' she said.
The U.S. government's covert program using unmanned drones to strike at terrorists inside Pakistan is unlikely to stop or be changed, despite new criticism from a U.N. human rights expert. U.S. officials insist the CIA program has been an effective tool to take out insurgents along the Afghanistan-Pakistan border, particularly those hidden beyond the reach of the military. The stepped-up use of drones over the past year has shown no signs of slowing down and was credited this week with the killing inside Pakistan of al-Qaida's third in command. Al-Qaida acknowledged the death of Mustafa al-Yazid.The Obama administration does not acknowledge the secret program, but one senior U.S. official defended its use Wednesday, saying a careful and rigorous targeting process is used to avoid civilian casualties. The official, who is familiar with the operation, spoke on condition of anonymity because the program is classified. The program, which officials say has killed hundreds of insurgents in dozens of strikes during the past year, has been condemned by critics who say it may constitute illegal assassinations and violate international law. They argue that intelligence officers conducting the strikes could be at risk of prosecution for murder in other countries.
In a 29-page report released Thursday, Philip Alston, the independent U.N. investigator on extra-judicial killings, called on countries to lay out rules and safeguards for carrying out the strikes, publish figures on civilian casualties and prove they have attempted to capture or incapacitate suspects without killing them.
``Unlike a state's armed forces, its intelligence agents do not generally operate within a framework which places appropriate emphasis upon ensuring compliance with international humanitarian law, rendering violations more likely and causing a higher risk of prosecution both for war crimes and for violations of the laws of the state in which any killing occurs,'' wrote Alston, a New York University professor.
The report to the U.N. Human Rights Council puts unwanted scrutiny on the intelligence operations of the United States, Israel and Russia, who Alston says are all credibly reported to have used drones to kill alleged terrorists and insurgents. He said the drone strikes by intelligence agencies launched in Afghanistan, Pakistan and elsewhere are particularly fraught because of the secrecy surrounding them.
Other experts disagree. ``Drone operations are essential,'' said Bruce Riedel, a former CIA officer and a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution Saban Center. ``The drones are part of a much broader effort to put pressure on al-Qaida through the war in Afghanistan. They're the cutting edge of the pressure, but they're not the only pressure.''
Earlier this week, al-Qaida leaders confirmed that a drone strike in Pakistan had killed the terror group's No. 3 officer and top commander in Afghanistan, Mustafa al-Yazid. The confirmation alleged that his wife, three daughters, a grandchild and others died with him.
U.S. authorities routinely refuse to talk openly or release data about the program, but as criticism has heightened they have slowly begun to respond quietly to the complaints. ``Without discussing or confirming any specific action or program, this agency's operations unfold within a framework of law and close government oversight,'' said CIA spokesman George Little. ``The accountability's real, and it would be wrong for anyone to suggest otherwise.''
The senior U.S. official said Thursday that the drones use precision targeting, and civilian casualties have been overstated. In describing the decision-making process, the official said the strikes are launched only when a vetted target comes into clear view, and much like the military, intelligence officers take into account the principles of necessity, the need for a carefully weighed response and the obligation to minimize innocent civilian casualties.
The U.S. official cited Pakistan, where he said there was no evidence to prove large numbers of innocent lives have been lost to drone strikes. This view has been challenged by human rights groups and independent observers, who say remotely operated drones risk ingraining a video game mentality about war and can never be as accurate as eyewitness confirmation of targets from the ground. ``The point is that innocent people have been killed, this has been proved over and over again,'' said Louise Doswald-Beck, a professor of international law at the Geneva Graduate Institute in Switzerland. ``If you don't have enough personnel on the ground, the chances of your having false information is actually quite huge,'' she told a US News agency.
The report also warns that CIA personnel could be extradited to those countries where the targeted killing takes place and would not have the same immunity from prosecution as regular soldiers. Alston claims more than 40 countries now have drone technology, with several seeking to equip them with lethal weapons. Doswald-Beck said the next step could be the development of fully autonomous drones and battlefield robots, programmed to identify and kill enemy fighters without human controllers to ensure targets are legitimate. ``If that's the case, you've got a major problem,'' she said.
Monday, December 6, 2010
INDIA CAN BE POLICE MAN FOR REGION
France, India Close In On Nuclear Reactor Sale
France and India are likely to sign a framework contract during President Nicolas Sarkozy’s visit to India for the sale of at least two French atomic reactors but a final deal could take another six months, a French source said on Sunday.The deal for French nuclear group Areva to supply two reactors estimated at around 7 billion euros ($9.4 billion) is one of several Sarkozy is chasing on his four-day visit to the emerging Asian giant.
Areva has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Nuclear Power Corp of India (NPCIL) for the sale and India has given the green light for construction.
“What we have agreed to say with our Indian partners is that decisive progress has been made (on the deal) and therefore a point of no return has been reached towards the final signing of contracts,” said a French source, who declined to be identified.
Sarkozy also wants to win the support of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s government to push an ambitious agenda for the G20 group of nations, which France currently heads, including the reform of the global monetary system.
As US President Barack Obama did in November, Sarkozy has pleased his audience with a pledge to support a long-standing Indian demand for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council alongside France, Russia, China, Britain and the United States.
Indian officials have also given France “reasons to be confident” the two sides would reach consensus on India’s nuclear liability laws, the source said, which have in the past made foreign firms wary of entering the Indian market.
Sarkozy wants to give French firms a bigger share of India’s lucrative defence market, including a contract to supply 126 fighter jets to India’s air force. There is also a smaller deal that could be sealed soon for defence electronics group Thales to modernise 51 Mirage 2000 planes.
AMJAD
INTRODUCTION
سب دوستوں کو سلام
یہ اپنے بلاگ پر تشکیل شدہ میری پہلی پوسٹ ہے تو اسے آپ تعارف بھی کہ سکتے ہیں
میرانام عدنان حمید ہے میں ایک جرنلسٹ ہوں مختلف اخبارات میں کالم وغیرہ لکھتا ہوں اور کتابیں پڑھنا اور کسی بات پر سوچ بچار کرنا اور نءی چیز سوچ کر لانا میرا مشغلہ ہے
یہ تھا میرا مختصر تعارف
آپ سے گپ شپ چلتی رہے گی
اللہ حافظ
یہ اپنے بلاگ پر تشکیل شدہ میری پہلی پوسٹ ہے تو اسے آپ تعارف بھی کہ سکتے ہیں
میرانام عدنان حمید ہے میں ایک جرنلسٹ ہوں مختلف اخبارات میں کالم وغیرہ لکھتا ہوں اور کتابیں پڑھنا اور کسی بات پر سوچ بچار کرنا اور نءی چیز سوچ کر لانا میرا مشغلہ ہے
یہ تھا میرا مختصر تعارف
آپ سے گپ شپ چلتی رہے گی
اللہ حافظ
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