The mainstream Ameican Press has been covering the Raymond Davis shooting episode from just one side. I would like to present the facts as they are on the ground.
US presence in Pakistan is deeply resented as the unmitigated drone attacks (I have already written about it) has caused widespread collateral damage. Of course, there has been as odd success against a militant or two, but the vast amjority of those killed are just innocent women and children. In fact the state of Pakistan is likely to implode because of American presence. Given the security concerens, the uS Defence Department and the State Department have been recruiting men to serve as adjunct to the US Army so that deniability can be maintained. Zardari can pretend that US Army is not operating from his territory, as the US might is essentially represented by private security agencies with a contractual relationship with the US Defence Department. The question of diplomatic immunity to contract workers of the US defence department does not arise as International Law recognises only accredited diplomats as possessing diplomaticimmunity and that too in cases concerning their jobs/ responsiblities as diplomats. It is stretching the point to far to say that diplomats have the right to kill citizens of the land in which they are posted. Even heads of states are pubnished for crimes committed in their opfficial capacity. Having said all this let me move on to the case under discussion.
On January 27th 2011, Raymond Davis shot and killed two men on a road near Lahore. He did not have any identiry card with him and his gun was an unlicenced one making him crime all the more serious. The US state department is putting pressure on the Pakistani Government to go slow on the investigation claiming that Raymaond Davis enjoys diplomatic immunity. This argument has been rejected by the Rawalpindi regime.. After killing the two men, Raymand Davis fled and the car sent to provide armed support to his escape killed one more. So all in all three Pakistanis were killed and the wife of one of the men killed by Davis killed herself yesterday.
The facts of the case get a lot more complicated from this point onwards. The US press has not brought out the fact that an unlicenced Ak 47 was recovered from one of the men killed. It is likely that had Davis not dhot them first, he would have been shot. How does one establish this plea in a Pakistani court. Another point: the man whose wife killed hwerself is known as a criminal and had a history of violence behind him. These are facts. However, the car ion which Mr Raymond Davis was travelling bore a fke diplomatic licence plate and number raising suspicions about his true purpose and intent.
This incident is spiralling out of control and I think the Pakistani courts will eventually release Raymond Davis provided the US State Govedrnment shows more finess in handling this sensitive issue.
I personally feel that Raymond Davis was operating on the asumption that the two thugs following him were intent on killing him nad therfore acted in self defence. He was a good shot so like Rambo put the bullet right in the middle of the forehead and he fired from a moving car.