White House Expands CIA Drone Warfare (in Pakistan)

[tekisui]

Source: UPI

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4 (UPI) -- The White House has authorized an expansion of the CIA's unmanned drone aircraft program in Pakistan's tribal area, U.S. officials said.

The move to broaden the use of drones to attack suspected terrorist targets runs parallel to President Barack Obama's decision to send 30,000 more U.S. troops to Afghanistan, The New York Times reported Friday.

Discussions also are under way between U.S. and Pakistani officials about possibly conducting drone airstrikes beyond tribal regions into Pakistan's Baluchistan province, where Afghan Taliban leaders are believed to be hiding, the newspaper said.

Reports about the drone campaign come largely from Pakistani media coverage since Washington officials don't comment on the covert operation, the Times said. Some accounts estimate several hundred civilians have died drone rocket attacks.

more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2009/12/04/White-House-expands-CIA-drone-warfare/UPI-95361259931732/

[tekisui]

1. How long till we have US boots on the ground in Pakistan?

I know we have some, but when will there be significant cross border actions? Gates refused to rule it out.

[TwilightGardener]

10. Isn't this a way to avoid troops in Pakistan?

[tekisui]

12. For a time.

Or it could be softening the battlefield. If the Pakistani Army is incapable of taking care of it, I wouldn't be surprised if our troops are sent in, at some point.

[TwilightGardener]

18. If we have an agreement with Pakistan to do such things, then

I can't really say too much against it, except that hopefully they'll do better with avoiding civilian deaths.

[arcadian]

15. They are already in Pakistan.

The drones are based in Pakistan.

[DrDan]

22. wrong question - you should have asked "How long till we admit there are US

boots on the ground in Pakistan?"

[tekisui]

26. Point taken.

[Moondog]

27. This is the whole point of "contractors"

they aren't counted as US boots on the ground. So they're there, but they're not there.

Same stuff, different day.

Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss.

Etc.

[SIMPLYB1980]

2. Good. nt

[tekisui]

3. Are you in favor of a ground war in Pakistan?

[SIMPLYB1980]

4. LOL!

:rofl:

[tekisui]

5. I don't understand your non-answer.

[SIMPLYB1980]

6. No answer would satisfy you so I

:rofl: and move on.

[tekisui]

7. A yes or no would do./

Even a maybe. You are so intellectually bankrupt you are incapable of any kind of meaningful discussion. Keep showing your ass. No loss to me.

[SIMPLYB1980]

8. Then maybe.

Do you support Al Queda having a free base of operations?

[tekisui]

11. Like they do in Somalia and Yemen?

Like pockets of sympathizers have across the globe?

You can't kill off extremism. You can protect yourself at home.

[SIMPLYB1980]

16. You can do both.

And I see you are siding with Al Queda. I'm not surprised.

[closeupready]

9. One day we will look back at this method and regret having employed it.

That's what my crystal ball says.

[Echo In Light]

13. My Magic 8 Ball says the day will eventually come when there won't be a future to look back at ...

... our era within an historic perspective

[TwilightGardener]

20. My crystal ball says, remote-controlled warfare is pretty much here to stay.

The Air Force is already realizing they'll need fewer and fewer fighter pilots in the future.

[closeupready]

21. I guess as long as Americans are prepared to see other nations adopt that method, too.

Kind of a sticky wicket, innit?

[TwilightGardener]

23. I don't know how you turn back progress and technology.

It's never happened.

[moodforaday]

30. Then I suppose you support

nuking Pakistan too? I mean, the technology exists, so why not use it?

[TwilightGardener]

31. Um...no.

[Freddie Stubbs]

14. This is the strategy which Biden advocated

[arcadian]

17. Your point?

[Freddie Stubbs]

19. That Obama listens to his Vice President

[tekisui]

25. Not really. Biden's plan was an increase in drones,

with a smaller footprint in Afghanistan. His plan would not have added more troops, and would have started reducing them.

Obama chose a mixture of plans that escalated on all points.

This is *not* Biden's plan.

[Octafish]

24. War is Peace

[global1]

28. Given The President's Speech And Ramp Up In Afghanistan - I Got To Think.......

that he has info that he and only a select few are privy to. Like maybe that Osama Bin Laden is alive and that perhaps they have a line on where he is hiding out. I'm thinking that this 30,000 troop escalation is being done with this in mind and that before long we will hear news that they have either caught or killed Bin Laden. If that happens - he will look like a genius and that will be the win that we were looking for to pull the bulk of our troops out and end this war. I'm hoping that this is the case.

Maybe John McCain - who during the campaign said he knew where Bin Laden was - told Obama. (joke)

[tekisui]

29. I don't doubt that is a hope.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x7152393