April 14, 2009
Peace Activists Arrested After Protesting US Drones in Nevada
US drone bombings have reportedly killed 687 Pakistani civilians since 2006. During that time, US Predator drones carried out sixty strikes inside Pakistan, but hit just ten of their actual targets. Last week, a group of peace activists last week staged the first major act of civil disobedience against the drone attacks in the United States. Fourteen people were arrested outside the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, where Air Force personnel pilot the unmanned drones used in Pakistan. We speak with longtime California peace activist Father Louis Vitale, who was among those arrested, and with Jeff Paterson of Courage to Resist.
We turn now to a new focus of some in the anti-war movement here in the United States. According to the Pakistani newspaper the News, U.S. drone bombings have killed 687 Pakistani civilians since 2006. During that time US Predator drones carried out sixty strikes inside Pakistan, but hit just ten of their actual targets. The most recent attack came last Wednesday, just hours after Pakistani officials rejected a US proposal to conduct joint operations in tribal regions near the Pakistani border with Afghanistan. According to the Pakistani newspaper Dawn, Pakistani officials have also asked the US to hand over control of the drone missions in response to growing public outrage. Their request came as Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced he would seek a more than 100 percent increase in funding for the drones.
Well last week a group of peace activists staged the first major act of civil disobedience against the drone attacks in the United States. On Thursday, fourteen people were arrested outside the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, where the Air Force pilots the unmanned drones used in Pakistan. The activists were arrested after holding a ten-day vigil dubbed “Ground the Drones.”
I’m joined now a by-long time California peace activist who was among those detained. Father Louis Vitale has been active in social justice movements for over four decades. During that time he has racked up hundreds of arrests and over a year in jail time for his involvement in a number of local and international causes. Last year he ended a five-month prison term for staging an anti-torture protest at a military intelligence training center at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona. For twelve years he was pastor of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in San Francisco. He is a co-founder of “Pah-Chay Bay-Nay”, a group committed to non-violent action for social justice.
Father Louie joins me here in San Francisco.
Father Louis Vitale, legendary Bay Area social justice activist, active for more than four decades. Has racked up hundreds of arrests and more than a year in jail time for his involvement in a number of local and international causes. For twelve years he was pastor of the St. Boniface Catholic Church in San Francisco.
Jeff Paterson, program director of Courage to Resist, an organization that supports troops who refuse to fight.
