Drone Strikes in Pakistan: Consent and Obfuscation?
Publisher
Lawfare
Date
2013-3-7
The New York Times recently carried two reports by Declan Walsh about alleged drone strikes that took place in Pakistan’s tribal areas in February. The first report noted that the strikes may have been conducted not by the United States, but by Pakistan itself. If that’s true, Walsh notes, then Pakistan finds itself in the fortunate (from its perspective) position of being able to hide its military activities behind the “open secret” U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan. The follow-up piece reported that the Pakistani military denied responsibility for the strikes. What is more interesting than the he said/she said, though, is the role that consent to the use of force may be playing in this episode.
Citation
Ashley S. Deeks, Drone Strikes in Pakistan: Consent and Obfuscation?, Lawfare (March 7, 2013).