This piece was reprinted by OpEd News with permission or license. It may not be reproduced in any form without permission or license from the source.
Just two days ago (February 20), Sen. Lindsey Graham publicly put at 4,700 the total number of those killed by U.S. drone strikes in the past decade. This is the first time a United States official has provided a casualty figure for U.S. drone attacks. Interestingly, Graham's estimate is very close to the high side of the estimated range given by the UK-based Bureau for Investigative Journalism for "total reported killed" in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia: 4,756.
What does John Brennan say about these inconsistencies? Have you checked back with those who told you the annual kill-rate for civilians has "typically been in the single digits?" We suggest that you ask Mr. Brennan to try to resolve these discrepancies before your committee takes further action on his nomination.
VETERAN INTELLIGENCE PROFESSIONALS FOR SANITY, STEERING GROUP
Phil Giraldi, Directorate of Operations, CIA, retired
Larry Johnson, Directorate of Intelligence, CIA; Department of State; consultant, Department of Defense
Karen Kwiatkowski, Ph.D., retired Lt. Col., USAF
David MacMichael, PhD, CIA & National Intelligence Council (NIC) analyst
Tom Maertens, Foreign Service Officer and NSC Director for Non-Proliferation
Ray McGovern, US Army Infantry/Intelligence Officer, Directorate of Intelligence, CIA, retired
Elizabeth Murray, former Deputy National Intelligence Officer for the Near East, NIC
Coleen Rowley, former Special Agent and Minneapolis Division Counsel, FBI
Ann Wright, Col., US Army Reserve (ret.), former Foreign Service Officer, Department of State
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
2
2
1
