Obama's Deadly Legacy: Examining Civilian Casualties In Afghanistan And Iraq

During his presidency, Barack Obama conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and Syria. The number of civilians killed by these airstrikes is difficult to determine, and estimates vary. According to the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, between 384 and 807 civilians were killed in Pakistan, Yemen and Somalia during Obama's presidency. The Obama administration's own estimates put the number of civilians killed in drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen and Africa between 64 and 116. However, human rights groups have claimed that the true number is significantly higher, with estimates ranging as high as 1,100. In Afghanistan, the United Nations reported at least 85 civilian deaths in 2016, while the Bureau recorded between 65 and 105. From the last year of the Obama administration to the last full year of recorded data under Trump, civilian deaths from US-led airstrikes in Afghanistan increased by 330%.

Obama's drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia killed between 64 and 116 civilians

The Obama administration carried out drone strikes in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia, with the number of civilians killed estimated to be between 64 and 116. This figure is significantly lower than the estimates provided by human rights groups, which range as high as 1,100. The administration's use of drones was a key tool in Obama's counterterrorism strategy and aligned with his ambition to keep up the war against al Qaeda while withdrawing US troops from costly ground wars in the Middle East and Asia.

The first drone strike authorised by Obama took place in Waziristan, Pakistan, on 23 January 2009, just three days into his presidency. This strike killed as many as 20 civilians. Over his two terms, Obama oversaw 563 strikes, largely by drones, in Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen. This was a tenfold increase compared to his predecessor, George W. Bush.

The number of civilian casualties caused by these strikes is difficult to determine and has been the subject of much debate. The Obama administration insisted that drone strikes were "exceptionally surgical and precise" and that they only targeted terror suspects, not innocent civilians. However, this claim has been contested by human rights groups and independent organisations, whose figures on civilian casualties demonstrate that civilians were often killed in these strikes.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism, for example, reported that between 384 and 807 civilians were killed in Pakistan, Somalia, and Yemen during Obama's presidency. Additionally, the Bureau's figures on civilian casualties in Afghanistan showed that there were between 65 and 105 civilian deaths in 2016, excluding data from previous years.

The discrepancy in the numbers can be partly attributed to the US government's methodology for classifying individuals as "combatants." The US government has been criticised for counting all military-age males in a strike zone as combatants unless there is explicit intelligence posthumously proving them innocent. This has led to implausibly low official counts of civilian deaths, with human rights groups arguing that the government significantly undercounts civilian casualties.

The impact of drone strikes extends beyond the immediate loss of life. In Pakistan, for example, drone strikes have been linked to anti-American sentiment and have sparked debates about the scope and extent of CIA activities in the country. Additionally, some analysts argue that drone strikes may harden militants' determination to fight and stall potential negotiations for peace.

In an effort to increase transparency and address concerns about civilian casualties, Obama signed an executive order in July 2016 requiring an annual release of casualty estimates. This order also directed the government to include "credible reporting" by non-government groups when reviewing strikes to determine if civilians were killed. However, this directive was not binding on subsequent presidents, and the full scope of the US drone program remains largely shrouded from public view.

Civilian deaths in Afghanistan increased by 330% from Obama's last year to Trump's first full year

The number of civilian deaths in Afghanistan increased by 330% from Obama's last year in office to Trump's first full year as president. This dramatic rise in civilian casualties was a result of the US military's decision to relax its rules of engagement for airstrikes in Afghanistan in 2017.

The US military's use of airstrikes in Afghanistan has been a feature of its counterterrorism strategy since the September 11 attacks. However, determining the precise number of civilians killed in these strikes is impossible, and estimates vary. The Obama administration disclosed that between 64 and 116 civilians had been killed by drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Africa since 2009. However, human rights groups have long claimed that the administration undercounts civilian casualties, with estimates ranging as high as 1,100 killed.

In 2017, the US military relaxed its rules of engagement for airstrikes in Afghanistan, which removed restraints on airstrikes and resulted in a dramatic increase in civilian casualties. This decision was made to gain leverage in negotiations with the Taliban. As a result, the Afghan Air Force has killed more civilians than at any point in its history.

The increase in civilian deaths under the Trump administration is particularly notable given his pledge to stop 'endless wars'. While Trump has moved to drastically reduce the number of US troops in Afghanistan, the war has escalated for Afghan civilians, with more weapons dropped from the air in 2018 and 2019 than at the height of the US presence in Afghanistan in 2011.

The high number of civilian casualties in Afghanistan is not only a direct result of airstrikes but also an indirect consequence of the war. Even in the absence of fighting, unexploded ordnance and landmines continue to kill and injure civilians, with children being especially vulnerable. The war has also exacerbated the effects of poverty, malnutrition, poor sanitation, and lack of access to healthcare, further increasing the number of civilian deaths.

Obama's drone strikes killed 21 children in Yemen

During his presidency, Barack Obama conducted airstrikes in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, and Syria. Obama's drone strikes in Yemen killed 21 children. This strike was Obama's first in Yemen and targeted al-Qaeda, but instead hit a tribe with cluster munitions, killing 55 people, including 12 women, five of whom were pregnant.

Obama's administration insisted that drone strikes are “exceptionally surgical and precise” and do not put innocent civilians in danger. However, human rights groups have contested this claim, and independent estimates suggest that civilians made up between 7.27% and 15.47% of deaths from drone strikes in Pakistan, Yemen, and Somalia from 2009 to 2019.

In 2013, Obama promised that before any U.S. drone strike, there must be a "near-certainty" that no civilians would be harmed. However, in 2016, Obama acknowledged that civilians had been killed by drone strikes that "shouldn't have been" and that the legal architecture around the use of drone strikes was not as precise as it should have been.

Obama's drone strikes have sparked criticism and concern from human rights groups and investigative journalists, who argue that the strikes are counterproductive and push Yemenis towards al-Qaeda. Furthermore, the targeted killing of U.S. citizens without due process has been challenged in court, with the ACLU suing Obama to restrain him from assassinating American citizens.

Obama's drone strikes killed between 245 and 303 civilians in Pakistan

During his presidency, Barack Obama ordered drone strikes that killed civilians in Pakistan. Between 245 and 303 civilians were killed by drone strikes in Pakistan between 2004 and 2018, according to the New America Foundation. The first known US drone strike in Pakistan was on June 19, 2004, and the most recent was on July 4, 2018.

The use of drones was part of Obama's counterterrorism strategy and reflected his ambition to continue the war against al Qaeda while withdrawing US troops from costly ground wars in the Middle East and Asia. Drone strikes allowed Obama to target terror suspects without endangering American soldiers.

However, human rights groups have criticised the use of drones, arguing that they often put innocent civilians in danger and cause significant "collateral damage". In one instance, a drone strike in Pakistan killed 21 children, 10 of whom were under five years old.

In 2016, Obama acknowledged the existence of the targeted killing program and released figures on the number of strikes and civilian casualties. However, human rights groups claimed that the administration significantly undercounted civilian casualties.

Obama left office with the targeted killing program normalised and expanded. His successor, Donald Trump, abolished the approval system put in place by the Obama administration, giving military and CIA officials more discretion to launch drone strikes.

Obama's drone strikes killed between 115 and 149 civilians in Yemen

During his presidency, Barack Obama conducted a covert drone war with ten times more airstrikes than his predecessor, George W. Bush. Obama's drone strikes killed between 324 and 3,797 people, with civilians comprising between 7.27% and 15.47% of those deaths.

Obama's first drone strike was a catastrophe. Commanders believed they were targeting al-Qaeda in Yemen but instead hit a tribe with cluster munitions, killing 55 people. Twenty-one were children – ten of whom were under five. Twelve were women, five of whom were pregnant.

Between 115 and 149 civilians were killed in Yemen by US drone strikes between 2002 and 2020. In 2012, the US carried out its first drone strikes against AQAP in Hadramout Governorate. From mid-May until the end of the year, the US launched seven attacks in the Governorate – a total of 41 drone strikes in Yemen for the year.

In 2013, 6 of the 26 strikes in Yemen were carried out in Hadramout Governorate. In 2014, 14 strikes were confirmed. In 2015, 32 strikes were confirmed, resulting in 88 to 123 deaths. In 2016, 38 strikes were confirmed, targeting operatives belonging to the terrorist group al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) amid Yemen's civil war.

In 2017, US Central Command stated that a US drone had been shot down in western Yemen. In 2018, there were four confirmed strikes. In 2019, three drone attacks killed at least five militants in Al Bayda, Yemen.

In 2020, an airstrike in Al Abdiyah District, Ma'rib Governorate, killed one person, and another airstrike killed Abdullah Al-Adani. The emir of AQAP, Qasim al-Raymi, was also killed by an airstrike while traveling in a car with another senior AQAP leader, Abu Al-Baraa Al-Ibby, in the Yakla area of Wald Rabi' District, Al Bayda Governorate.

In 2021, two suspected gunmen of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) and one civilian were killed in two drone strikes contested to have been conducted by the US in the border region between al-Bayda and Shabwa governorate.

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