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Drone attack flurry appropriate
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by YankeeJim | September 29, 2010 at 10:40 am
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Pursuing al Qaeda and family of terrorists is an appropriate mission for CIA’s paramilitary and US military. The USA is well equipped with advanced technology and should use everything at its disposal to hit and wipe out terrorist leaders and their forces.
The fact that they may reside in neighborhoods with local tribe people is irrelevant because it is those local communities that harbor and provide cover. Civilian casualties are regrettable, but the lesson is, it is best to cooperate with government authorities to eliminate safe havens.
“CIA steps up drone attacks in Pakistan amid fear of al-Qaeda terror in Europe
By Greg Miller
Wednesday, September 29, 2010; 3:06 AM
A sharply escalated campaign of CIA drone strikes in Pakistan is aimed in part at al-Qaeda units suspected of planning terrorist attacks on targets in Europe, a threat that U.S. officials described as "credible but not specific" enough to allow authorities to anticipate precisely where or when a strike might occur.
The intensified bombing of targets in North and South Waziristan represents an expansion of the secret drone program from its origins as a weapon used in a selective hunt for high-ranking operatives to one now delivering a barrage of strikes in the hopes of disrupting a still-murky plot.
A U.S. official said that President Obama and congressional leaders have been briefed extensively on the European threat in recent weeks and that the warnings are considered ominous enough to warrant preemptive strikes.
American intelligence agencies have had "to work backwards, with your starting point being individuals you believe are involved in plotting, even when you don't have the full outlines of the plot itself," the U.S. official said. "That's why we have been striking - with precision - people and facilities that are part of these conspiracies."
U.S. officials said that intelligence about potential pending attacks has not indicated that the plots are aimed at targets in the United States. Still, officials alluded to significant security precautions.
A senior administration official said that the president "has held multiple sessions with his CT [counterterrorism] and homeland teams in recent weeks to review this and other threat reporting and to make sure that all appropriate steps were being taken to protect the American people."”
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (4)
at 13:15 on September 29th, 2010
If I read this opinion correctly, am I to assume that the U.S. is anticipating drone strikes at targets in Europe and the U.S. where terrorists may be harboured? It is unlikely that the people in the tribal areas of Pakistan would be endeared to either their government or the United States for having their neighbours killed.
This is starting to smell a lot like Cambodia and Vietnam.
at 05:08 on September 30th, 2010
I think that fighting terrorism introduces special situations that demand attention.
1. Terrorists operate from different venues:
1.1 From within democratic governments that are aligned with the free world against them
1.2 From within other governments where the governments afford varying degrees of tolerance and operational latitude.
For instance, a government can have a policy against all terrorism and insurgent groups operating anywhere in their country. A government may afford such groups safe haven to operate in designated communities so long as they don't disturb government control.
Allies in the free world must address the problems within their nations, and all allies may cooperate to fight terrorists together.
Governments that are non aligned or that try to operate between the lines such as Pakistan will find themselves subject to attack where intelligence identifies concentrations of terrorist enemies. Such government have the opportunity to cooperate and collaborate to eliminate the threat. When such cooperation falls short, as it is in Pakistan, the USA, for instance, has decided to pursue the enemy independently.
The terrorist enemies are well known and the USA policy is to pursue and eliminate them.
Al Qaeda operating in France, for instance, doesn't have to worry about the USA pursuing them there independently as the USA will work with France to accomplish their elimination.
at 05:52 on September 30th, 2010
There was an interesting story I read yesterday, that Musharraf is predicting a military coup, mainly because the Pakistani Government has been incompetent in fighting terrorism. He is also forming a new political party to contest the next election.
The story did not say when he would return to Pakistan to face treason charges. Sounds like interesting times are coming up.
at 05:57 on September 30th, 2010
I read that also. It seemed to be more effective to deal with Musharraf than the current Pakistan government. I expect that he is mounting a comeback-overthrow with support from his military leadership.
In the near term, that might save Pakistan from falling into the hands of radical figures more aligned with terrorists and Taliban.