U.S. official acknowledges drone strikes, says civilian deaths 'exceedingly rare'

[Eugene]

Source: NBC News

U.S. official acknowledges drone strikes, says civilian deaths 'exceedingly rare'

By Michael Isikoff
NBC News

White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan on Monday spoke openly -- and at great length -- about what has long been one of the government’s most controversial official secrets: the use of remotely piloted drones to kill suspected terrorists.

In doing so, he became the first U.S. government official to acknowledge that the drone strikes sometimes kill innocent people, though he characterized such deaths as “exceedingly rare.” But a new analysis by an independent Washington think tank estimates that more than 300 civilians have been killed by drones since President Barack Obama took office.

In a major speech on the anniversary of Osama bin Laden’s death during a raid in Abbottabad, Pakistan, by U.S. Navy SEALs, Brennan proclaimed that al-Qaida is now "on the path to its destruction." But the headline was what he had to say about the drone program — long a forbidden subject for senior U.S. officials — and how the U.S. government uses it.

“The United States conducts targeted strikes against specific al-Qaida terrorists, sometimes using remotely piloted aircraft, often referred to publicly as drones,” said Brennan, in his speech at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, a Washington, D.C., foreign policy think tank.

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Read more: http://openchannel.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/04/30/11475659-us-official-acknowledges-drone-strikes-says-civilian-deaths-exceedingly-rare?lite

[gratuitous]

1. Yeah, "exceedingly rare"

If the tribunal ever convenes, perhaps we the people will get a chance to find out just how exceedingly rare that is. These are crimes against humanity, and we sure seem to get all high dudgeon when other countries do it. It's preserve, protect and defend the Constitution and the reason for that is that without the Constitution, there is no United States.

Can we retrieve our country, or have we already irrevocably slipped away to something else?

[got root]

2. I thought we didn't keep track of civilian murders?

so how would he even know?

[raouldukelives]

3. I am glad to hear it's that rare an occurence.

I feared it might be in the 10 - 20% range.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

4. Not nearly as rare as convicting the murderers who guide the drones. Or, those who order them to.

[whatchamacallit]

5. Exceedingly!

Lying Motherfuckers.

[coalition_unwilling]

6. In case you were inclined to give this lying POS Brennan

the benefit of the doubt, you need to know he served as George Tenet's Chief of Staff at the CIA. That's a matter of public record and there's no walking back a job that shall live in infamy.