US Drone mistakes Wedding Convoy for Al Qaeda; 15 dead

UPDATE – 2:20 PM EST: It is now being reported by Reuters that a wedding convoy was mistaken for an al Qaeda convoy in a drone attack that killed fifteen people.

Ten were killed in the initial attack, according to Yemen security officials. Five injured died at a hospital. Five more were injured. No details on what happened to the al Qaeda convoy that was supposed to be attacked but escaped a drone, which President Barack Obama has touted as being “very precise.”

If the CIA or Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) intended to hit an al Qaeda convoy but hit a wedding convoy instead—by mistake, where is the al Qaeda convoy now? Or, was a drone attack launched with bad intelligence that suggested the wedding convoy was the al Qaeda convoy?

dissenter.firedoglake.com...

and yet another error made using a drone, why do innocent people have to die? these things are not safe, and they are downright scary, someday soon it will happen here in the US, but will anyone give a #?

reply to post by CoolStoryMan


Too many have died because of idiots controlling these things.

"US Drone Mistakes Wedding Convoy..."

It's not the drone that makes the mistake but rather the trigger happy psychopaths at the controls playing their little video game without consequences.

And then...on to another target. Perhaps a child's birthday party next time.

Peace

reply to post by CoolStoryMan


Do strikes like this actually accomplish the aims of the "War on Terror", or do they breed more fanatics? I like to think of myself as a fairly rational and calm person, though if this happened to my family I'd probably not rest till the end of my days to bring retribution to the culprits, and I'm not even a religious fundamentalist, and I don't think religion actually has anything to do with it.

Isn't this a crime? So if I accidentally plowed my car into a crowd of people and killed a few I could plead that it was just a mistake and get off free? How is this different? The people are a different skin color or religion? What would happen if a mistake like this happened in the US, would it be different? Are Americans more valuable than other people?

Hallmarks of totalitarianism are surveillance and control, coming to a country near you.

PlanetXisHERE
Do strikes like this actually accomplish the aims of the "War on Terror", or do they breed more fanatics? I like to think of myself as a fairly rational and calm person, though if this happened to my family I'd probably not rest till the end of my days to bring retribution to the culprits, and I'm not even a religious fundamentalist, and I don't think religion actually has anything to do with it.

Yep, more blowback. Sheesh.

reply to post by CoolStoryMan


Come back when it's reported by a news agency with some credentials.
This site sayings Reuters is reporting it does not mean Reuters is really reporting it.

I just checked their site And I didn't see the story. You're welcome to check yourself. Which you might have done before you posted this.


www.reuters.com...

reply to post by jude11


Take a chill pill it didn't happen. Or at least wait for a reputable news agency before flipping out.

jude11
reply to post by CoolStoryMan

 

"US Drone Mistakes Wedding Convoy..."

It's not the drone that makes the mistake but rather the trigger happy psychopaths at the controls playing their little video game without consequences.

Its not the trigger happy psychopaths at the controls playing their little video game. Its the American people who let them, and who have allowed their government to run rickshaw over everything, mandating war for profit.

This will get zero play in America or the west.

Now ten years from now, when a wedding party is leaving the church in Plainsville, Nebraska and is struck by an armed drone, people will get all upset and wonder why people don't do anything.

It's gonna happen people.

reply to post by AutumnWitch657


Reuters
Huffington Post
Fox News
BBC
Washington Post

AutumnWitch657
reply to post by CoolStoryMan

 

Come back when it's reported by a news agency with some credentials.
This site sayings Reuters is reporting it does not mean Reuters is really reporting it.

I just checked their site And I didn't see the story. You're welcome to check yourself. Which you might have done before you posted this.


www.reuters.com...

Here you go, from a mainstream news site, as reported by REUTERS.

Feel free to eat that crow which has now been placed before you.

news.yahoo.com...

Fly with it. I see it on other news agencies now.

peck420
Reuters
Huffington Post
Fox News
BBC
Washington Post

You forgot to give AutumnWitch a chill pill with that.

America one day will not be the only power in the world that will control stealth drones, it is only a matter of time before someone else will build a low orbit earth drone that has precision strike capability. I am afraid to say it because the implications are high but depending on who gets one I believe there will be some to pay the piper.


It is reasons like these I have always did not like drones because I know some twit and his buddies huddle around a computer like a game in some AF Base flying these things from 1000s of miles away high fiveing each other when things like this happens. It is cruel deceptive and heartless, I understand war for the guys on the ground is cruel and deceptive, but it isnt heartless. Lots of the guys on the ground often suffer for the rest of their lives due to the element that they are human and were there to see smell hear and feel what transpired on the battlefield, ultimate losses even when the battle is won these guys learn eventually they never really won anything. The guy at the computer is alot less likely to care, I know some drone "pilots" do not always feel this way and become very depressed and sad some suffer ptsd. In my opinion if this is true about the marriage convoy it is a blatant violation of the rules of engagement particularly that first part that tells you that you cannot kill anyone without proper target identification, I was always taught in the USMC to know your target and what lays beyond. This disheartend me a little bit more reading this.

This drone operator should be charged with murder, we had a Marine here who killed an insurgent in what they called cold blood,,yet he got life for it. Too many American drone strikes are killing innocent civilians who in this case are just attending a wedding.
Wait till a drone bombs an army base somewhere by mistake or an army patrol,which has happened before and nothing done about it.....

beezzer
This will get zero play in America or the west.

Now ten years from now, when a wedding party is leaving the church in Plainsville, Nebraska and is struck by an armed drone, people will get all upset and wonder why people don't do anything.

It's gonna happen people.

In ten years, drones will be striking federal politicians convoys/meetings, bureaucratic buildings and police stations. These federal/military criminals have opened a can worms that is *never* going to be closed.

All of humanity will be the worse for it.

Brotherman
America one day will not be the only power in the world that will control stealth drones, it is only a matter of time before someone else will build a low orbit earth drone that has precision strike capability. I am afraid to say it because the implications are high but depending on who gets one I believe there will be some to pay the piper.

The prolific and cheap electronics that China produces always comes to mind. They could make thousands upon thousands, eh?

It is reasons like these I have always did not like drones because I know some twit and his buddies huddle around a computer like a game in some AF Base flying these things from 1000s of miles away high fiveing each other when things like this happens. It is cruel deceptive and heartless, I understand war for the guys on the ground is cruel and deceptive, but it isnt heartless. Lots of the guys on the ground often suffer for the rest of their lives due to the element that they are human and were there to see smell hear and feel what transpired on the battlefield, ultimate losses even when the battle is won these guys learn eventually they never really won anything. The guy at the computer is alot less likely to care, I know some drone "pilots" do not always feel this way and become very depressed and sad some suffer ptsd. In my opinion if this is true about the marriage convoy it is a blatant violation of the rules of engagement particularly that first part that tells you that you cannot kill anyone without proper target identification, I was always taught in the USMC to know your target and what lays beyond. This disheartend me a little bit more reading this.

Coming from a vet that's seen recent seriously real & terrible action, and your direct observation of what goes on behind the scenes, that says a lot, soldier. Salute, sir! Thank you for your honorable and continued service, brotherman.

AutumnWitch657
reply to post by CoolStoryMan

 

Come back when it's reported by a news agency with some credentials.
This site sayings Reuters is reporting it does not mean Reuters is really reporting it.

I just checked their site And I didn't see the story. You're welcome to check yourself. Which you might have done before you posted this.


www.reuters.com...

www.nydailynews.com...

worldnews.nbcnews.com...

www.huffingtonpost.com...

www.foxnews.com...

Good enough?

It's at times like this when the motivation for terrorist attacks could not be clearer...

Before I begin, I say to you that security is an indispensable pillar of human life and that free men do not forfeit their security, contrary to Bush's claim that we hate freedom.

If so, then let him explain to us why we don't strike for example - Sweden? And we know that freedom-haters don't possess defiant spirits like those of the 19 - may Allah have mercy on them.

No, we fight because we are free men who don't sleep under oppression. We want to restore freedom to our nation, just as you lay waste to our nation. So shall we lay waste to yours.

No one except a dumb thief plays with the security of others and then makes himself believe he will be secure. Whereas thinking people, when disaster strikes, make it their priority to look for its causes, in order to prevent it happening again.

Full transcript of bin Ladin speech

reply to post by The GUT


I had China in mind as well, not that I think they would directly drone strike the USA however I hear that China likes to export lots of knockoffs at a discount price especially at wholesale, Its funny you said China


My opinion as an Iraqi vet may not be shared by all vets, but as an infantryman, I was always reminded I was human when every bit of training you are always reminded "Hurry the #ck up! Marines are dying!" They trained us to make good desicions in stressful situations, I suppose drone striking someone from a computer is stressful, but, before drones, I can remember ambushing convoys just like this on something called a "SNAP VCP" or HASTY VEHICLE CHECK POINT most of the time we went in with a high threat mentality until we could determine the motives of the people in the vehicles, if something were to go down that's the risk you take. This risk is eliminated heavily (not completely) by precision skill and intense training (that never stops) We used to call doing patrol missions like this and things like I described as "controlling your battle space" and chances are if the car doesnt stop within so many yards of you they are going to get lit up, that happens too and when they dont stop I mean they are moving 60 70 mph plus and your there with a flare trying to flag them down 1/4 mile away.

beezzer
This will get zero play in America or the west.

Now ten years from now, when a wedding party is leaving the church in Plainsville, Nebraska and is struck by an armed drone, people will get all upset and wonder why people don't do anything.

It's gonna happen people.

This is helping the cause of extremism. That was my war for a long time, and it is growing by the day. I could knock one off that path, but by the time I get that one, 30 more have jumped on the train. Its been a losing battle on that front, because it is fueled by things I cannot control. This is one of those things.

By the time it gets that bad here on American soil, we will probably have WW3 in the rest of the world.