Air Force erases drone strike data in Afghanistan war report just one day after Rand Paul's filibust

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2290912/Air-Force-erases-drone-strike-data-Afghanistan-war-report-just-day-Rand-Pauls-filibuster.html

Air Force erases drone strike data in Afghanistan war report just one day after Rand Paul's filibuster
By Leslie Larson
PUBLISHED: 19:46 EST, 9 March 2013 | UPDATED: 20:08 EST, 9 March 2013

The Air Force has erased data on drone strikes in Afghanistan from their most recent report that was released just one day after Sen. Rand Paul's filibuster on Wednesday.

Since last October, Air Force Central Command had provided statistics on the number of weapons released from Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

As the debate on drone use heats up in the heartland, the Air Force report released on March 7 failed to list airstrikes from drones and many believe it's no coincidence given the Obama administration's embarrassment after Sen. Paul took the president to task for the U.S. government's use of drones in U.S. airspace.



Sins of omission: As of Jan. 31, the Air Force report included drone strike data (bottom right) but the most recent update released on March 7 left a giant blankspace where the data should be listed



In the heartland: This MQ-9 Predator B unmanned surveillance aircraft, in Sierra Vista, Ariz., is used to patrol the southern U.S. border

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Though they have been used over the last decade, only this October the Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) decided to include data on strikes from RPAs in their monthly reports on air power statistics.

In 2009, 257 drone strikes were conducted in Afghanistan. That number climbed slightly to 277 in 2010 and there was a small bump up in 2011 to 294, though the data can change due to recalculation.



Drone warfare: The military relies heavily on RPAs to launch airstrikes in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan



Remote operated: An airman operates a sensor control station for a MQ-9 Reaper during a training mission. Reapers can fly for as long as 14 hours fully loaded with laser-guided bombs and air-to-ground missiles