Drone attacks in Yemen and anti-drone protests in Brighton

There were at least seven separate US drone attacks in Yemen last week. Two strikes happened last Tuesday (15th May)- killing 15 and injuring a further 7. According to CNN, seven of those killed were fighters from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula holed up in the mountains of Northern Yemen. Meanwhile U.K campaigners are struggling to get the issue onto the agenda.

The US military has massively upped its remote war over Yemen- of the over thirty air-strikes that have hit the Arabian Peninsula's poorest country, at least twenty have occurred in the last month. This follows a presidential order authorising the killing by the Pentagon and the CIA of unnamed “high value targets”. Authorised by the US government that is- extra judicial killings in foreign countries is, of course, totally illegal under international law, but who cares about that?

All of this to neutralise a terrorist organisation who's reputation far exceeds their capacity to cause chaos and destruction- despite the scary connotations that come with their baddass name, all they have to their credit are two failed underpant bombings of passenger jets.

But never mind about the disproportionate reactions, law, morality or unforseen consequences- drones or Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) are a favourite of 'democratic' countries that like to fight their wars without risk to their own troops, who are safely squirrelled away in air conditioned bases in Arizona, where the greatest risk they face is a sprained thumb.

Drones aren't just a US issue- The UK is just as keen on UAVs as the Americans are, just without the half trillion dollar budget. Brighton's very own bomb-builders EDO, now part of US corporate giant ITT and renamed ITT Excelis, makes bomb racks for the MQ-9 Reaper killer drone.

Smash EDO campaigners have held a series of events against ITT's involvement in the drone wars. Yesterday UAV expert Chris Cole gave a talk at the Friends Meeting House. On Wednesday (15th) a colourful anti-drone demo was held outside the Brighton arms factory. Activists waved flags and made lots of noise with bells, a sound system, horns, pots and pans. Later on in the demo kites were flown over the factory to remind the workers of what its like to be constantly underneath the watchful eyes of killer robots. Some of the kites were equipped with (civilian) surveillance equipment kite to take some surveillance footage. Campaigners have told SchNEWS that aerial footage of the factory will be soon be released in a communique.

Follow the Smash EDO campaign's Summer of Resistance

www.smashedo.org.uk