News Release

Former State Dept. Officials Call on Biden to Bar “Over the Horizon” Drone Attacks in Afghanistan

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Retired Army Colonel Ann Wright and former Marine Captain Matthew Hoh, both of whom resigned from the State Department because of their opposition to U.S. war policies in Afghanistan, are among peace and justice leaders and policy analysts who have signed an online petition calling on President Joe Biden “to pledge that there will be no further U.S. air attacks on the Afghan people and that the U.S. will discontinue drone surveillance there as well.”

The petition is being circulated in response to press reports and officials statements that the U.S. is planning “over the horizon” air missions against Al Qaeda and ISIS in Afghanistan while not foreclosing the possibility of U.S. air attacks against the Taliban, should it be on the verge of taking over Afghanistan’s central government. These missions would be flown from the system of U.S. bases in Qatar, the United Arab Republic, and Kuwait; the U.S. Air Force is seeking $10 billion to support this system, according to a June 8, 2021 report in Defense One, referencing the “over the horizon” planning.

The 10-point petition notes that the “over the horizon” operation will reportedly depend heavily on the use of attack and surveillance drones, which, the petition says “amounts to an effort to further occupy Afghanistan from the sky, and represents a bid for U.S. influence in events on the ground through the veto power of assassination and ability to target attacks by manned aircraft.”

The petition, drafted by BanKillerDrones.org, expresses concern that U.S. air operations will hasten the introduction into Afghanistan of drones and other high-tech weaponry by China, Turkey, Russia, and other nations, prolonging the civil war, as has happened in Libya.

Early signers of the petition include:

Ann Wright – Col. U.S. Army (Retired), resigned U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan and member of the CODEPINK anti-drone war delegation to Pakistan in 2012

Matthew Hoh – Former U.S. Marine officer and resigned U.S. State Department official in Afghanistan

Kathy Kelly – Peace activist who has made 30 trips to Afghanistan and co-coordinator of BanKillerDrones.org

Brian Terrell – Peace activist who has made multiple trips to Afghanistan and board member of BanKilerDrones.org