Muhammad Bilal (M.

Phill PPG)

Book Review (The Thistle and The Drone)

Keeping balance in human rights, civil liberty and democracy with Government
Security Interest is one of the founding stone of America. But after the disastrous
event of 9/11 which surprising raise a big question on security situation of United
States tilted this balance towards security over human rights. Use of drones and
pursuing ZERO TOLERANCE policy of Bush Administration had enormous
consequences for the tribal societies which are the main subject of Akbar Ahmad
Book The Thistle and The Drone. Excessive use of drones to target these peripheries
of tribes capsized notions of justice, rule of law and right to a trial by jury which is at
the core of United States judicial system and enshrined in the sixth amendment of
the Bill of the Rights. The power of President targeting anyone even U.S citizen, with
a drone strike from his kill list without providing any detail is a clear violation of both
U.S and International Law. The founding principal ideal of United States were the
concepts of Justice, Equality and the Rule of Law and these ideals were absolute and
could not be compromised, even for the sake of security. United States before 9/11
intervened frequently to help and save thousands of Muslim tribesmen because of
its concern for human rights. The Pukhtun were grateful to America for their support
against Soviet forces in war of liberation, even President Reagan welcomed Pakhtun
tribesmen in White House and declared them moral equivalent of Americas
founding fathers. The epic of excellent relation was that Hollywood portrayed the
Muslim tribesmen as heroes and freedom fighter, as seen in film Rambo III.
But after 9/11 game takes a U-turn Unites States put itself without any
reservation into a drive to hunt for Al-Qaeda and its affiliates wherever it believed
they were to be found. Through the history of America the American society has
exhibited strong and clear motivation to retaliate with full force at any observation
of threat. Zero Tolerance policy portrays this tendency of American society in a
single phrase. Solution to terrorism from United States was twofold first to capture
and kill and second to extend central government authority to the ungoverned
spaces. United States openly promoted torture to keep America safe and also
encourage other central governments to do the same. Invasion of Afghanistan
followed by Iraq, military training mission in West Africa, Missile strike in Kurdish
region of Turkey and drones buzzing over the theaters of conflict where Muslim
tribesmen lived. Bush fires burst out around the world and harder the Americans hit
the tribes the harder the tribes hit back. This was continued by President Obama
which even assassinates an American citizen Anwar Al-Awlaki in a drone strike and
his son with his teenage friends in another strike claiming that his son was with a
high value target. Interesting part of Yemen story is the wanted militant here was
again had roots from Afghan soviet war which was backed by United States. AlFadhli was one of the Holy worrier who fought the Afghan war against Soviet when

return Yemen gathered a large force of afghan war veteran and called them Islamic
Jihad were supported from President Abdullah Saleh. Chaos in Yemen can be traced
directly event followed by 9/11 when Saleh met Bush and vowed to support in war
on terror and United States pledged Saleh with Millions of dollars. Saleh in return
gave the United States secret authority to conduct targeted killings in the country.
The drones goes on even in Somalia in June 0f 2011 a drone targeted al-Shabab
leader. In late 1980s religious leaders from different clans formed an organization
known as Al-Itehaad Al-Islamiya(AIAI) with the idea of creating order on the basis of
Islamic Laws. After 9/11 U.S began to view AIAI and countrys informal and
traditional financial network and placed AIAI on American terrorist list accusing of its
links with Al-Qaeda. In November 2001 Bush declare that Al-Barakat would be shut
down as another step in our fight against evil claiming having solid and credible
evidence that Al-Barakaat raised funds for Al-Qaeda. These allegations proved false
by 9/11 commission which found no direct evidence of having any real link between
Al-Barakaat and Al-Qaeda.
Akbar Ahmad in his book points out the underlying facts which prove how
United States violated Human rights to cater the security needs of its country after
9/11 incident, going over its founding values and principles with history of sympathy
to deprived peoples.