Suspected U.S. drone fires missiles in Pakistan

[cal04]

Source: Reuters

A suspected U.S. drone fired two missiles on Friday in Pakistan's South Waziristan region on the Afghan border, but there was no word on casualties, a Pakistani intelligence source and a resident said.

U.S. forces in Afghanistan, frustrated by an intensifying Taliban insurgency that is getting support from militant enclaves in northwest Pakistan, have stepped up strikes by pilotless drones despite Pakistani objections.

"Two missiles have been fired in Maidan Narai but we don't have any details," said Haji Mohammad, an ethnic Pashtun tribal leader, referring to a remote village.

An intelligence agency official confirmed the strike in an area regarded as a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban leader Baitullah Mehsud.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/ISL420267.htm

[EFerrari]

1. The way this is being reported is a little weird.

The other day, Pakistan shut down the supply road to go after the attackers. Now, we're flying drones in there. Is it a joint mission but not reported in those terms -- maybe to save heat in Pakistan? Looks like it.

[metapunditedgy]

2. BBC and others have reported for months about how USA is violating Pakistani sovereignty

and conducting missions (i.e., killing people) without their permission. I find little word about these attacks in the American media, but they're quite frequent.

So my guess would be that it's yet another case where Pakistan is (at least outwardly) refusing to permit the attacks and the US is doing them anyway. (Though who knows what's going on behind the scenes.)

[EFerrari]

3. That's right, I've seen those reports.

This is a little different, though, because Pakistan announced they would pursue the guys attacking the supply trucks just a few days ago. It's hard to believe even Gates would be stupid enough to fly in drones to where the Pakistanis are conducting operations without co-ordinating in some way?