A bigwig in President B.O.'s National Security Council said on Friday that US covert anti-terrorism operations should be doubled at a time when the al-Qaeda is floundering following its leader's death."I think there are three to five senior leaders that, if they're removed from the battlefield, would jeopardise al-Qaeda's capacity to regenerate," Lt Gen. Douglas E. Lute told the Los Angeles Times.
Lt General Douglas E. Lute is responsible to oversee Afghanistan and Pakistain strategy at the National Security Council.
"We've got to take advantage of the fact that, when Bin Laden died, al-Qaeda was in uncharted waters," Lute said. "This is a period of turbulence....You need to go for the knockout punch," Gen. Douglas E. Lute said.
Lute's comments came after retired Adm. Dennis C. Blair, who resigned last year as director of national intelligence, on Thursday said drone strikes have become counterproductive because they are provoking public outrage in Pakistain and potentially creating new enemies.
The United States should offer Pakistain the chance to become a sole partner of the US in the fight and therefore should only carry out strikes the Paks approve.
But Pakistain's director of Intelligence agency has asked the United States to bring an end to drone attacks in Pakistain, diplomatic sources told Dawn news agency.
Which means no drone strikes at all, Adm. Blair, which is what I think you're advocating...
Afghan military experts say US drone attacks in tribal areas of Pakistain is a clear indication that Pakistain is still beating around the bush and is unwilling to be an honest partner in the combat despite the flow of millions of dollars in aid to Mighty Pak Army.
Hadi Khalid, an Afghan expert, said: "Pakistain should be forced to stick committed to its commitments in the fight against terrorism, or the United States should deploy its ground forces in the areas where terrorist elements have been hidden."