Mick Wallace (Wexford, Independent) | Oireachtas source

One of the greatest threats to world peace comes from drones. There are over 10,000 of them in service, of which 1,000 are armed, and most of these are American. Drones have killed more non-combatant civilians than were killed in the attacks of 11 September 2001. Their success seems to be measured based on body count. Neither the legality nor the ethics of drone attacks stand up to examination. If this same slaughter were carried out by troops on the ground, the troops involved would face courts-martial. Victims of drone attacks might not even know what they are accused of and would certainly have no chance to contest the charges, let alone be granted a judge and jury.

Following the murder of 20 children in Newtown, Connecticut, the US President, Mr. Obama, said these tragedies must end, and to end them America must change. However, what applies to those children murdered by a sick man must also apply to the kids murdered in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen and Somalia by a calculating and heartless American President. These children are equally deserving of our concern but there will be no presidential tears for them or interviews with their broken-hearted families.

Recently, in his effort to justify the drone war, Mr. Obama’s adviser on counter-terrorism, Bruce Riedel, said one has to mow the lawn all the time as the minute one stops, the grass will grow back. In less than eight years, 2,300 people have been killed by US drone attacks in Pakistan alone, of which 780 were civilians and 175 children.

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