MILITARY - The Drone Strike Issue

Being retired U.S. military, and as I've said before, it is really dumb to think that ANY military strike (especially involving explosives) can NOT have civilian/collateral damage.  The best you can do is to minimize such damage.  Also, there WILL be mistakes by drone operators.  Still the question being asked is legitimate.

"Is U.S. being transparent enough about civilian deaths from drone strikes?" PBS Newshour 10/22/2013

Excerpt

GWEN IFILL (Newshour):  Now we return to what two human rights groups are reporting about U.S. strikes abroad.

Even the names attached to the unmanned planes known as drones are fearsome, Predators, Reapers.  Operated remotely in skies high above their targets, drones have become a critical tool in the U.S. war on al-Qaida.  This is especially true in the North Waziristan region of Pakistan, which lies along its border with Afghanistan.

There, in the village of Ghundi Kala, Amnesty International says 68-year-old Mamana Bibi was killed a year ago as she harvested vegetables.  Her family said she was targeted by two Hellfire missiles fired by an invisible drone.

According to Amnesty, it's one of many such incidents.