CIA drone strikes 'undermining' democracy

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ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Aug. 3 (UPI) -- A senior Pakistani officials says U.S. drone strikes in his country are "undermining the democratic government" of Pakistan.

Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the high commissioner to London and one of Pakistan's top ambassadors, said CIA drone strikes in Pakistan's tribal areas are hindering Pakistan's progress toward democracy, The Guardian (Britain) reported.

"What has been the whole outcome of these drone attacks is that you have directly or indirectly contributed to destabilizing or undermining the democratic government," he said.

Anti-U.S. sentiment is growing high throughout Pakistan, Hasan said.

"Even those who were supporting us in the border areas have now become our enemies," he said. "They say that we are partners in these crimes against the people. By and large you will hardly find anybody who will say a word in support of the United States, because of these drone attacks."

Yet he admits that Pakistan has little power to stop the strikes.

"We cannot take on the only superpower, which is all-powerful in the world at the moment. You can't take them on. We are a small country, we are ill-equipped," Hasan said.

And, Hasan said, the United States has talked of its commitment toward democracy in Pakistan and Afghanistan but has done little to move forward in the countries.

"They talk in miles in support of democracy but they move in inches. They say, 'We are fully for democracy, we want democracy, we support the Arab spring, we are opposed to military interference in Egypt,'" Hasan said, adding, "All of these things are very good. But when it comes to real politics they are different."