Unmanned and weaponized, drones have become a lethal presence in the skies over many foreign hot-spots, including our nominal ally, Pakistan. A local activist who opposes military drone use talked with citizens there about the airborne devices, and returned home more alarmed than ever.
 

Barbara Briggs-Letson (front, center) poses for this photograph with three Pakistani family members of drone victims. Each of the men is each holding pieces of individual missles; at least one has an identifying number inside it. Code Pink founder and trip organizer Medea Benjamin is at the right.The Pakistan trip by the Code Pink delegation was hastily organized, booked less than a month in advance, explains Barbara Briggs-Letson, the Sebastopol woman who was part of the group. But the invitation that prompted it came early this year.

One planned highlight of the trip was to have been a visit to the border state of Waziristan. But that was not allowed.

Another event that did take place as scheduled was a meeting with the local Bar Association in Islamabad. But as Brigg-Letson recounts, it happened over the strong objections of some members of that group.

This group photo shows the entire delegation in Pakistan. Briggs-Letson is in the back row at the far left.