Pakistan Seeks More U.S. Military Aid

[Coventina]

Source: Washington Post

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, July 22 -- Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani on Wednesday called on the United States to provide real-time intelligence, unmanned aircraft technology and other military assistance to help his country combat the Taliban without relying on attacks from U.S. drones.

Gillani raised the issue with Ambassador Richard C. Holbrooke, who is on his fourth visit here since becoming the U.S. envoy to the region, according to a statement from the prime minister's office. Pakistan has asked before for the capability to carry out its own drone strikes, so as to avoid the public outcry that regularly follows attacks by U.S. unmanned aircraft.

The drone attacks in the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan "have seriously impeded Pakistan's efforts towards rooting out militancy and terrorism from the area," the statement said. Pakistan has cooperated with the U.S. drone missions despite its public position against them, and many Pakistani officials privately say that the attacks are helpful.

Analysts have expressed doubt that the United States would comply with Pakistan's request to share the drone technology. "America has been saying, 'This is one of those technologies that is a critical technology, and we haven't even provided it to other allies,' " said Talat Masood, a retired Pakistani general.


Read more: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/07/22/AR2009072202224.html?hpid=topnews