How Obama came to bomb seven countries in six years
26 Sept 2014 5:53 AM IST
Obama was elected partly because of his opposition to the Iraq war and was even awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2009. The arguably optimistic decision taken by the Norwegian Nobel Committee was taken just nine months into his presidency and came as he was trying to manage the war in Afghanistan. His famous speech in Cairo saw the US president declare he was seeking ‘a new beginning between the US and Muslims around the world’, sparking hopes he would be the antidote to Bush’s controversial term. Almost six years later, Obama has approved military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Libya and now Syria.The Bureau of Investigative Journalism estimates the Obama administration has launched more than 390 drone strikes in five years across Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia .
Afghanistan
Obama was at the forefront of a major withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan following America’s ten-year conflict with the Taliban, which is due to finish at the end of 2014. But in August, Afghan officials said an air strike by the American-led coalition killed at least four civilians. Recently, Afghan President Hamid Karzai used his farewell speech to rally against US strikes one last time. Karzai, the only president Afghanistan had had since the US-led invasion in 2001, said Washington had wanted war in Afghanistan ‘because of its own interests’.‘The war in Afghanistan is to the benefit of foreigners,’ he said in his address. ‘But Afghans on both sides are the sacrificial lambs and victims.’
Yemen
Drone strikes have had some success in tackling al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula , with both the Pentagon and CIA operating drones over the country. Last year, Human Rights Watch released a 102-page report on US drone attacks and air strikes in Yemen against al-Qaida militants which found six air strikes had killed 82 people - at least 57 of them civilians - between 2009 and 2013.In April 2014, an intensive bombing campaign carried out jointly by US drones and Yemeni government forces left a reported 68 people dead, three of them believed to be civilians.
Pakistan
The US has targeted al-Qaida and Taliban fighters in controversial drone ‘precision strikes’ in Pakistan’s tribal areas for over a decade. Obama first admitted their use in 2012, saying: ‘For the most part, they’ve been very precise precision strikes against al-Qaeda and their affiliates, and we’re very careful in terms of how it’s been applied.’ But while the US claim strikes are an important tool for defeating anti-American targets, many in Pakistan say they undermine the country’s sovereignty and often hit innocent civilians.The BIJ says that since Obama’s inauguration in 2009, the CIA has launched 330 strikes on Pakistan.
Somalia
Obama unveiled his ‘degrade and destroy’ strategy against Isis on the anniversary of the 9/11 bombings. As he vowed to take out militants ‘wherever they exist’, he assured the conference: ‘This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years’.
Libya
In 2011, a multi-state coalition was created in response to the Libyan civil war that saw American and British naval forces firing over 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s air defences. President Obama was forced to defend his decision to intervene in the Libya conflict with air strikes after being accused of not properly consulting Congress.
Iraq
On 10 September this year and after ending the US combat presence in Iraq, Obama became the fourth US president in a row to announce air strikes in the country in a televised address. As he made this announcement, the President warned: ‘I will not hesitate to take action against Isil in Syria as well as Iraq’. The air strikes came at the request of the Iraqi government, which was struggling to battle Isis militants.
Syria
Obama lived up to his warning and the Pentagon announced the US had launched air strikes on the Isis stronghold Raqqa and on the Khorasan Group in Aleppo.Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby said fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from ships during the strikes.
Afghanistan
Obama was at the forefront of a major withdrawal of troops in Afghanistan following America’s ten-year conflict with the Taliban, which is due to finish at the end of 2014. But in August, Afghan officials said an air strike by the American-led coalition killed at least four civilians. Recently, Afghan President Hamid Karzai used his farewell speech to rally against US strikes one last time. Karzai, the only president Afghanistan had had since the US-led invasion in 2001, said Washington had wanted war in Afghanistan ‘because of its own interests’.‘The war in Afghanistan is to the benefit of foreigners,’ he said in his address. ‘But Afghans on both sides are the sacrificial lambs and victims.’
Yemen
Drone strikes have had some success in tackling al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula , with both the Pentagon and CIA operating drones over the country. Last year, Human Rights Watch released a 102-page report on US drone attacks and air strikes in Yemen against al-Qaida militants which found six air strikes had killed 82 people - at least 57 of them civilians - between 2009 and 2013.In April 2014, an intensive bombing campaign carried out jointly by US drones and Yemeni government forces left a reported 68 people dead, three of them believed to be civilians.
Pakistan
The US has targeted al-Qaida and Taliban fighters in controversial drone ‘precision strikes’ in Pakistan’s tribal areas for over a decade. Obama first admitted their use in 2012, saying: ‘For the most part, they’ve been very precise precision strikes against al-Qaeda and their affiliates, and we’re very careful in terms of how it’s been applied.’ But while the US claim strikes are an important tool for defeating anti-American targets, many in Pakistan say they undermine the country’s sovereignty and often hit innocent civilians.The BIJ says that since Obama’s inauguration in 2009, the CIA has launched 330 strikes on Pakistan.
Somalia
Obama unveiled his ‘degrade and destroy’ strategy against Isis on the anniversary of the 9/11 bombings. As he vowed to take out militants ‘wherever they exist’, he assured the conference: ‘This strategy of taking out terrorists who threaten us, while supporting partners on the front lines, is one that we have successfully pursued in Yemen and Somalia for years’.
Libya
In 2011, a multi-state coalition was created in response to the Libyan civil war that saw American and British naval forces firing over 110 Tomahawk cruise missiles on Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi’s air defences. President Obama was forced to defend his decision to intervene in the Libya conflict with air strikes after being accused of not properly consulting Congress.
Iraq
On 10 September this year and after ending the US combat presence in Iraq, Obama became the fourth US president in a row to announce air strikes in the country in a televised address. As he made this announcement, the President warned: ‘I will not hesitate to take action against Isil in Syria as well as Iraq’. The air strikes came at the request of the Iraqi government, which was struggling to battle Isis militants.
Syria
Obama lived up to his warning and the Pentagon announced the US had launched air strikes on the Isis stronghold Raqqa and on the Khorasan Group in Aleppo.Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm John Kirby said fighter jets, bombers and Tomahawk cruise missiles were fired from ships during the strikes.
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