Who authorised the drone attacks?

Dr Farooq Hassan The role played by Hussain Haqqani in the ongoing national debate about the memo allegedly written by him on behalf of Zardari and handed over to Admiral Mike Mullen in May 2011, certainly entails legal consequences. But todays column deals with an allied subject of equal gravity for Pakistan, since it has led to the death of hundreds of its citizens through the use of US CIA operated drones over Pakistani territory. While material on this topic is widely available in the statements of US officials and in the views of several authors, the book, Obamas Wars, contains the most authentic version of this fact. This book is based on the authors interviews with those who matter in Washington and containing extracts of official records of the US administration. Its reading emphasises that US functionaries in charge of foreign policy criticise Pakistan, as a tainted and unreliable ally. In this authoritative work, Woodward starts a discussion of the point now being examined and categorically asserts: On November 12, 2008, the director CIA, General (retd) Hayden and his relevant deputy, Steve Kappes were: 'Ushered in the presidential suite of the InterContinental Barclay Hotel where Zardari and the Pakistani Ambassador to the US, Haqqani, awaited them. The Pakistani news media has been clobbering the US for civilian causalities from drone strikes.A top secret map detailing the attacks had been given to the Pakistanis.How are you going to choose targets? The Pakistani Ambassador asked from Hayden. After an hour of conversation, in which these four participants heard each others views, Zardari is said to have exclaimed that kill the seniors, but then added the phrase that has been cited by a few commentators: Collateral damage worries you Americans. It does not worry me. Upon this, the conference apparently ended. According to Woodward, he had just given the CIA an important green light. According to him, with this began the saga of the ongoing drone attacks on Pakistani territory. However, the fault lies with Pakistan having allowed them. This year, the National Assembly expressed horror at the continued violation of the countrys sovereignty, as a result of these attacks. It was incumbent upon diplomatic channels to inform the Assembly where the supposed "authorisation" came from. Technically, it is not possible under the Constitution for it to have come from the President, who cannot give any such permission as such matters have to be approved through and by the countrys Prime Minister. This seemingly ropes in the Prime Minister. If what Woodward claims is true, then the burden would fall on the PM to explain to the people how he allowed this to happen? The writer is a barrister at law (UK and US), senior advocate of the Supreme Court, advisor to four Pakistans premiers on International and Legal Affairs, Special UN Ambassador for Family, and Special International Ambassador to UN for Aged People. Email: fhoxon@hotmail.com