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2010-12-18 India-Pakistan

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Posted by Fred 2010-12-18 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top
File under: al-Qaeda in Pakistan

#1 Update
The drone programme is controversial in Pakistan, where politicians blame the attacks for killing civilians, stoking anti-western feeling and driving young men into the arms of Taliban recruiters.

Such is the sensitivity that the US refuses to acknowledge the use of drones and the Pakistan government publicly denies it has allowed American spies to launch attacks on its soil.

On Friday it emerged that the CIA had smuggled its station chief out of Pakistan after his cover was blown when he was named in a lawsuit seeking compensation for deaths allegedly caused by a drone attack.

The case, brought by a Pakistani journalist whose brother and son died in a drone strike last year, blamed Jonathan Banks, the CIA's top spy in Pakistan, along with Leon Panetta, CIA director, and Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, for the deaths.

His name was published by local and international media covering the case. Demonstrators in the heart of the capital, Islamabad, have carried placards bearing the officer's name and urging him to leave the country.

The station chief in Islamabad operates as a secret general in the fight against al-Qaeda. He runs the Predator drone programme, handles some of the CIA's most urgent and sensitive tips and collaborates closely with Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence agency, one of the most important relationships in the spy world.

But in a rare move, Banks was summoned home on Thursday by the CIA, citing "security concerns".

Posted by tipper 2010-12-18 02:28|| 2010-12-18 02:28|| Front Page Top

#2 US officials do not acknowledge firing the missiles, much less comment on who they are targeting. It is impossible to independently report on the aftermath of the attacks because outsiders are not allowed to visit the tribal regions.

Human rights groups say there are significant numbers of civilian casualties in the attacks.

And since "the human right's groups" can't visit the tribal areas either, their statement is based on what?

Pakistan cannot have it both ways. "The tribal regions are outside our [sovereign] control" and "Drone strikes in the tribal regions violate our sovereignty".

If they claim sovereignty in the tribal regions then stop the terrorist. Unless terrorism is the sovereign policy of the Pakistani government, in which case ....

Posted by Mike Ramsey 2010-12-18 08:18|| 2010-12-18 08:18|| Front Page Top

#3 The case, brought by a Pakistani journalist whose brother and son died in a drone strike last year

First guess would be brother & son were Tali terrorists and the lawfare waging journalist probably is too.
If not, then what were they doing hanging around Tali terrorists?
I hope Banks or his replacement has good surveillance on the guy.

Posted by Glenmore 2010-12-18 08:32|| 2010-12-18 08:32|| Front Page Top

#4 ILL SAY IT GREAT JOB OBAMA

Why was this so hard for GEORGE .W

Posted by Play4Keeps 2010-12-18 14:15|| 2010-12-18 14:15|| Front Page Top

#5 It WaS a DOvoCHAK PROBLem NemNat

Ascii me anything maroon.

Posted by Goldies Every Damn Where 2010-12-18 16:06|| 2010-12-18 16:06|| Front Page Top

#6 US officials do not acknowledge firing the missiles, much less comment on who they are targeting. It is impossible to independently report on the aftermath of the attacks because outsiders are not allowed to visit the tribal regions.

Human rights groups say there are significant numbers of civilian casualties in the attacks.

And since "the human right's groups" can't visit the tribal areas either, their statement is based on what?

Pakistan cannot have it both ways. "The tribal regions are outside our [sovereign] control" and "Drone strikes in the tribal regions violate our sovereignty".

If they claim sovereignty in the tribal regions then stop the terrorist. Unless terrorism is the sovereign policy of the Pakistani government, in which case ....

THIS

Mike ramsey, you are on to something. These so called "human rights groups" they refer to are merely Al-Qaeda or Taliban mouthpieces.

Makes me wonder why so many people swallow propaganda whole, without questioning the source.

Especially journalists that should know better.

Posted by Mikey Hunt 2010-12-18 16:26|| 2010-12-18 16:26|| Front Page Top

#7 Especially journalists that should know better

they do - they're on the other side

Posted by Frank G 2010-12-18 16:31|| 2010-12-18 16:31|| Front Page Top

23:40 Gaz
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