PLA Daily: U.S.’s Unmanned ‘rial Vehicles Cross Border Actions Are a “License to Kill”

“UAVs have become an important American tool to fight terrorism. However, the abuse of the UAV has also been trampling on the sovereignty of other counties. Although Pakistan and other countries repeatedly protest to the United States, the United States still insists on acting according to its own will. Once the U.S. finds suspected terrorists appearing in other countries, the U.S. will send UAVs to hunt down the terrorists without asking for permission from those countries. This hegemonic act is a reckless trampling of the international order and of international law.” 

“Although the use of UAVs avoids the American military sustaining casualties, it brings disaster to a large number of innocent civilians in other countries. … According to statistics, since 2004, the U.S. UAVs have launched 360 attacks in Pakistan alone, resulting in 3,000 deaths, of which 70 percent were women and children. However, the U.S. does not feel any guilt at all.” 

“The U.S.’s use of UAVs is almost out of control. It has caused the relevant nations to lodge strong protests. … However, the United States, accustomed to finding other countries at fault, has just ignored these voices of protest. On May 23, 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama announced that UAVs can only be used under certain conditions. … However, the rule is very ambiguous and difficult to determine during the actual implementation. Obviously, Obama’s new regulations are the ostrich moves or [we can] even say that he has issued a ‘legitimate’ ‘license to kill’ for UAVs.”