This letter originally appeared in the Independent, 10 October 2012.
The debate over how unmanned aerial vehicles, also known as drones, are used in countries such as Afghanistan and Pakistan is an important one. Some say the growing use of drones may make it easier to win the battle; however in my view it risks losing the aim of winning hearts and minds.
In Pakistan, in over 330 strikes by the US, up to 850 civilians have been killed, causing widespread condemnation. We must debate how they should be deployed (if they are to be deployed) so as not to risk civilian deaths, collateral damage and our international relations.
When I recently visited Pakistan and met with President Zardari, senior ministers and local people, they all raised real concerns and anger at drone strikes by foreign countries, which feed into the anti-western attitude, played on by radical elements, and threaten to undermine the work achieved by international aid. I have raised this issue with ministers in the House of Commons and will continue to do so.