Wednesday, April 16, 2014
The International Principle of Guilt By Association
Fortunately this was validated in the latest reported drone strike in Yemen when an Australian and a New Zealander were killed in the company of 3 known al-Qaida operatives. Their respective governments were quick to say, "Hey we're cool with that".
New Zealand and Australia were drawn into the global debate on drone strikes Wednesday after confirming that a citizen from each country had been killed in U.S. strikes in Yemen.Apparently it took longer to identify the New Zealander because they had to use DNA samples from the bits left over. However they ultimately proved to be from someone that the Wellington government was happy to blow up.
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said the men were killed along with three known Al-Qaeda operatives during a drone strike in November. The New Zealander had attended a rebel training camp and was under surveillance by intelligence agencies, Key said.
He added that drone strikes by the United States were justified in some circumstances.
"I think they are legitimate, at certain times, where countries are trying to contend with very dangerous situations and they are trying to deal with those terrorists without putting their own people in harm's way," he said.
Key said he thought the November strike was such a justified occasion: "I suspect so, yes, given that three of the people killed were well-known Al-Qaeda operatives."...
The newspaper The Australian first reported the deaths. The newspaper said Wednesday the men were killed Nov. 19 during a Predator drone strike on rebels traveling in a convoy of cars in Yemen's eastern region of Hadramout. It said the men were part of Yemen's Al-Qaeda branch, also called Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula.
The newspaper identified the Australian as Christopher Harvard of Townsville.
Harvard's stepfather, Neil Dowrick, told the newspaper he received a government letter indicating his stepson had been buried in Yemen.
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