Pakistan says US drones kill senior Taliban figure

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

PESHAWAR, Pakistan — Two U.S. drone strikes on northwest Pakistan killed a senior Taliban commander who fought American forces in Afghanistan but had a truce with the Pakistani military, intelligence officials said Thursday.

The commander, Maulvi Nazir, was among nine people killed in a missile strike on a house in the village of Angoor Adda in the South Waziristan tribal region near the border with Afghanistan late Wednesday night, five Pakistani security officials said on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to talk to the media.

At least four people were killed in a separate drone strike on Thursday morning near Mir Ali, the main town of the North Waziristan tribal region.

America's use of drones against militants in Pakistan has increased substantially under President Barack Obama and the program has killed a number of top militant commanders over the past year.*

But the drone strikes are extremely contentious in Pakistan, seen as an infringement on the country's sovereignty. And while the U.S. maintains that it targets militants, many Pakistanis complain that innocent civilians have also been killed.

_____________

*Drone strikes have been on the rise during Obama's presidency.

According to the Long War Journal, which tracks drone strikes, there were 35 strikes in Pakistan during 2008, the last year President George W. Bush was in office.

That number shot up to 117 in 2010 and then dropped the 46 last year. The strike that killed Nazir was the first of 2013.

The program has killed a number of top militant commanders over the past year, including al-Qaida's then-No. 2, Abu Yahya al-Libi, who died in a drone strike in June on the Pakistani village of Khassu Khel in North Waziristan.

In August, another missile strike in North Waziristan killed Badruddin Haqqani, who has been described as the day-to-day operations commander of the Haqqani network, which has been blamed by the U.S. for carrying out some of the most high-profile attacks against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan.

http://xfinity.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20130101/AS.Pakistan/

Edited January 3, 2013 by The Patriot

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

awesome news thanks

[^_^ 5,021]

So when are the libs going to start talk of trying Obama for war crimes just like they wanted to do with Bush?

[sandinista! 1,816]

[quote name=' timestamp='1357232425' post='5900585]

So when are the libs going to start talk of trying Obama for war crimes just like they wanted to do with Bush?

February 30th.

[aaydrian 479]

How innocent can a civilian be if said civilian is shacking up with the Taliban?

[Darnell 8,478]

More Drones ! Drone Power! Kill the Taliban! Yay !

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

How innocent can a civilian be if said civilian is shacking up with the Taliban?

ever heard of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki? he was a 16 year old american citizen born in denver - and killed in a drone strike.

link

[aaydrian 479]

ever heard of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki? he was a 16 year old american citizen born in denver - and killed in a drone strike.

link

What's your point? His father was a radical and this 'innocent civilian' boy knew yet he went in search if him.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

ever heard of Abdulrahman al-Awlaki? he was a 16 year old american citizen born in denver - and killed in a drone strike.

link

So how do you design a drone that only kills the terrorist standing next to this guy. Sometimes there is collateral damage n war. Regrettable. I remember a drone strike on 9-11 that killed 1000's of innocent people.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

What's your point? His father was a radical and this 'innocent civilian' boy knew yet he went in search if him.

he was a 16 year old - and his father was killed earlier in the month.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

So how do you design a drone that only kills the terrorist standing next to this guy. Sometimes there is collateral damage n war. Regrettable. I remember a drone strike on 9-11 that killed 1000's of innocent people.

i suppose not pulling the trigger when there's individuals of questionable age around doesn't work?

btw, drone (per your example, now bolded) indicates there's no one on the plane.

[aaydrian 479]

he was a 16 year old - and his father was killed earlier in the month.

Again what's your point? Even if he was a 2 year old that died with his mother I would feel the same way. You know what your father is, you know what his agenda is, you know that there is a war going on and you think it's the best time to search for daddy? What, he thought drones would only kill non USCs. Or he would be safe because he was underage?

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Again what's your point? Even if he was a 2 year old that died with his mother I would feel the same way. You know what your father is, you know what his agenda is, you know that there is a war going on and you think it's the best time to search for daddy? What, he thought drones would only kill non USCs. Or he would be safe because he was underage?

I'm sure a 2 year old would be aware of this.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

Again what's your point? Even if he was a 2 year old that died with his mother I would feel the same way. You know what your father is, you know what his agenda is, you know that there is a war going on and you think it's the best time to search for daddy? What, he thought drones would only kill non USCs. Or he would be safe because he was underage?

16 year olds shouldn't pay with their life for being foolish. and 16 year old usc's shouldn't need to worry about being killed by a drone either.

[The Nature Boy 4,224]

i suppose not pulling the trigger when there's individuals of questionable age around doesn't work?

btw, drone (per your example, now bolded) indicates there's no one on the plane.

Yes I know the difference. I got to remember folks on this board don't get sarcasm well. Or maybe it's me who knows.