The Libyan government has said that an American decision to deploy drone aircraft as part of the NATO operation over Libya will cause more civilian deaths. The Libyan deputy foreign minister, Khaled Kaim, said more air strikes would undermine any claims by the U.S. and NATO to be supporting democracy in Libya. The decision to use U.S. drones comes as Senator John McCain visits the opposition-held city of Benghazi for talks with rebel leaders. The BBC’s Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen reports from Tripoli on reaction to the announcement and how this recasts America’s role in the country. At the same time, there are serious concerns about the use of drones. The BBC’s Aleem Maqbool is in Pakistan where another U.S. drone attack killed 25 people.
Our coverage reaches millions each week, but only a small fraction of listeners contribute to sustain our program. We still need 224 more people to donate $100 or $10/monthly to unlock our $67,000 match. Will you help us get there today?