Iraqi Government Outraged By US Drones In Their Country

The State Department wants Iraq's permission to fly surveillance drones like this unarmed Raven over Iraq. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Matthew Lyman

U.S. Drones Patrolling Its Skies Provoke Outrage In Iraq -- New York Times

BAGHDAD — A month after the last American troops left Iraq, the State Department is operating a small fleet of surveillance drones here to help protect the United States Embassy and consulates, as well as American personnel. Some senior Iraqi officials expressed outrage at the program, saying the unarmed aircraft are an affront to Iraqi sovereignty.

The program was described by the department’s diplomatic security branch in a little-noticed section of its most recent annual report and outlined in broad terms in a two-page online prospectus for companies that might bid on a contract to manage the program. It foreshadows a possible expansion of unmanned drone operations into the diplomatic arm of the American government; until now they have been mainly the province of the Pentagon and the Central Intelligence Agency.

Read more ....

More News On Iraqi Outrage Over US Drones In Their Country

U.S. drones flying in Iraqi skies provoke anger -- CBS/AP
Iraq hits out over US drone flights -- Sydney Morning Herald
Iraqi officials outraged by use of US drones: report -- AFP
Iraq criticizes U.S. surveillance drones -- UPI
New York Times: Iraqis Outraged by Use of U.S. Drones -- Naharnet
“Our sky is our sky, not the U.S.A.’s sky.” -- Time
Lessons from Iraqi outrage over US drones -- Glenn Greenwald, Salon