U.S. drone stikes kill 12 suspected militants in Pakistan

[News_Editor]

U.S. drone stikes kill 12 suspected militants in Pakistan

2011-05-06 21:30:30 GMT+7 (ICT)

PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN (BNO NEWS) -- U.S. drone strikes on Friday killed at least 12 people and wounded several others in Pakistan's volatile tribal region of North Waziristan, officials said.

The air strikes occurred in North Waziristan's Vatoi Village in the Datta Khel area, which is located around 35 kilometers (21 miles) west of Miranshah, as the drone reportedly fired eight missiles at a home and a vehicle in the area, Pakistan's Pak Watan reported.

The unmanned aircraft strikes marks the first U.S. drone attack since the death of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, who was killed last Sunday during a U.S. operation in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Controversy has surrounded the drone strikes as local residents and officials have blamed them for killing innocent civilians and motivating young men to join the Taliban. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said in its annual report that the U.S. drones strikes were responsible for 957 extra-legal killings in 2010.

The border region has been targeted by at least 20 U.S. drone attacks this year. Since August 2008, there have been over 250 drone attacks that have reportedly killed more than 1,500 people in north and south Waziristan.

In April, over 40 people were killed in U.S. drone strikes in the region, prompting thousands of Pakistanis to gather and protest against the attacks during a two-day sit-in, and on March 17, more than 40 civilians were killed in North Waziristan when U.S. missiles hit a residential area where local elders were meeting. The incident increased tension within the Pakistan-U.S. alliance.

Pakistan's Afghan border, which the United States considers to be the most dangerous place on Earth, is known to be a stronghold of the Taliban's Haqqani Network, considered one of the top terrorist organizations and threats to U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

-- © BNO News All rights reserved 2011-05-06

[EnSvenskTiger]

The world puts up with this year out and year in! What about human rights and international law? Not in Pakistan obviusly or at least not when conducted by the "democratic" west. May we ask for some justice.

Tiger

[Wallaby]

'suspected'. You'd think they would know before they start killing them.

[Steely Dan]

Yep and seemingly without any remorse.

http://www.theonion.com/video/predator-drone-tr425-takes-the-stand,20317/

[raylo]

Well I am on the other side. What do bleeding hearts do about terrorist actions? While not directly linked to this the UN are now commenting on the humaness of Bin Ladens termination and want to make sure it was done properly.

They even have special investigators to make sure terrorists are dealt with as potential criminals.

Now we have a report of a country that supports and masks terrorists and terrorism and is unreachable any other way without really getting countries with a poor history of human rights and a long list of abuses pissed off.

What a world.

[TAWP]

The problem with too many people in the west that has been Dsiney-fied and believe the hero must be 100% just and fair -- and this will give him victory in the long run.

It doesn't work that way. Trying to be fair when your opponent is anything but only gives you a great disadvantage.

Make no mistake, this is a war on a global playing-field. A war that will see the slaughter of you and your family if the others win.

Just see the demonstrations in favour of bin Laden being held by some hundreds of people across Pakistan today. A drone over each march would drastically reduce the number of 'holy warriors' you have to fight in the future...

The is ideology and there is realpolitik. And some days I am more pragmatic than others.

Face it, none of our western idoelogy has any place on a map of survival if the worlds darker forces win while we scwabble.

Edited May 6, 2011 by TAWP

[Steely Dan]

The problem with too many people in the west that has been Dsiney-fied and believe the hero must be 100% just and fair -- and this will give him victory in the long run.

It doesn't work that way. Trying to be fair when your opponent is anything but only gives you a great disadvantage.

Make no mistake, this is a war on a global playing-field. A war that will see the slaughter of you and your family if the others win.

Just see the demonstrations in favour of bin Laden being held by some hundreds of people across Pakistan today. A drone over each march would drastically reduce the number of 'holy warriors' you have to fight in the future...

The is ideology and there is realpolitik. And some days I am more pragmatic than others.

Face it, none of our western idoelogy has any place on a map of survival if the worlds darker forces win while we scwabble.

Agreed 100%. Those who are quick to condemn the west judging it by the highest moral standards often as not have no moral standards whatsoever of their own and their shrill protests are just a cynical device designed to divide and rule. You are correct there is indeed a clash of civilisations going on and either the west wins it or the world descends into a second dark age.

[Wallaby]

Maybe if the west wins it will be a sprial to the dark age.

Why must one always think the west is right.

[Ulysses G.]

The problem with too many people in the west that has been Dsiney-fied and believe the hero must be 100% just and fair -- and this will give him victory in the long run.

It doesn't work that way. Trying to be fair when your opponent is anything but only gives you a great disadvantage.

Make no mistake, this is a war on a global playing-field. A war that will see the slaughter of you and your family if the others win.

I very much agree. The Dark Forces are taking advantage of the West's weakness in this regard and the Western enablers who promote their agenda.

[Steely Dan]

Maybe if the west wins it will be a sprial to the dark age.

Why must one always think the west is right.

Western civilisation is superior in every single aspect to fundamentalist Islam with the possible exception of the Sharia rule against usary, as interest/debt is what makes us slaves to consumerism. To argue differently is in my oppinion being willfully obtuse.

[Donnyboy]

yes, the profiteers of the so call war on terror are the beneficiaries of this sorry saga. Drone attacks that kill civilians only fuels contempt leading to more terrorist actions...the cycle of violence continues.

[Ulysses G.]

Drone attacks that kill civilians only fuels contempt leading to more terrorist actions...the cycle of violence continues.

Suicide bombings by Islamic terrorists kill many, MANY more innocent civilians than American drone strikes - which also save lives. Maybe they should get their priorities in order.

[pomeloseed]

The US is at war. War is messy, and yes, sometimes there are innocent victims or, in Pentagon-speak; "collateral damage." The first thing Pakistanis and Arabs should do is not conjugate with any people suspected of being baddies. Not even deliver camel dung to them. If you're rubbing shoulders with baddies, and the bomb drops out of the sky, you're likely to be vaporized along with them. The west happens to have superior weapons now, such as drone bombs, but history shows it's only a matter of time (and money, which they have a lot of) before the baddies get similar weapons. Do you think they'd hesitate for a Medina minute to use whatever weapons do the job?

Edited May 7, 2011 by pomeloseed

[coma]

More reason for the Pakistani government to get its military into line and into action in the region to clean that place up. We can airstrike them for decades and it will not change a thing. It needs to be cleared and held by ground troops. So Pakistan best get to it then they will not have these drones to worry about.

[koheesti]

Maybe if the west wins it will be a sprial to the dark age.

Why must one always think the west is right.

Why must the other side always think they are right? What have they accomplished or contributed to all of mankind over the past 1000 years?

[pomeloseed]

Pakistan is between a rock and a hard place. Like its Middle Eastern neighbors, it has hot head fundamentalists embedded among its population. It can't eradicate them, and like a cancer, they just increase in number until they sicken and kill the host. Fundamentalist Islam breeds on hate, revenge, anger, lying, and treating females lower than pet dogs. Tough luck Pakistan. I wish I could offer some cancer irradication medicine for you'all, but it's a tough sickness to try and cure. In contrast, I reside in a region with decent people, low crime, happy children who can romp around anywhere without fear, and a place where there aren't 1,000 restrictive laws on everthing - punishable by beatings, stoning, cutting off limbs, market bombings, and all the other lovely tools Muslim fundamentalists use.

[Ulysses G.]

Falafels.

[Steely Dan]

Pakistan is between a rock and a hard place. Like its Middle Eastern neighbors, it has hot head fundamentalists embedded among its population. It can't eradicate them, and like a cancer, they just increase in number until they sicken and kill the host. Fundamentalist Islam breeds on hate, revenge, anger, lying, and treating females lower than pet dogs. Tough luck Pakistan. I wish I could offer some cancer irradication medicine for you'all, but it's a tough sickness to try and cure. In contrast, I reside in a region with decent people, low crime, happy children who can romp around anywhere without fear, and a place where there aren't 1,000 restrictive laws on everthing - punishable by beatings, stoning, cutting off limbs, market bombings, and all the other lovely tools Muslim fundamentalists use.

Sadly by reverse colonisation the UK has the same affliction and the patient is still in denial so no treatment is being attempted.

[geriatrickid]

More reason for the Pakistani government to get its military into line and into action in the region to clean that place up. We can airstrike them for decades and it will not change a thing. It needs to be cleared and held by ground troops. So Pakistan best get to it then they will not have these drones to worry about.

egads, I agree.

Someone help me, I'm choking................

[luckizuchinni]

More reason for the Pakistani government to get its military into line and into action in the region to clean that place up. We can airstrike them for decades and it will not change a thing. It needs to be cleared and held by ground troops. So Pakistan best get to it then they will not have these drones to worry about.

Drones can do damage to the other side, but yes, it will take ground troops to hold the area. And that should be local troops, in my opinion. The question is whether Pakistan can get their act in place to do this, either by capability or willingness.

[luckizuchinni]

Maybe if the west wins it will be a sprial to the dark age.

Why must one always think the west is right.

While there are many admirable things about the teachings of Islam, and while the Arab world has given civilization many things and at one time were at the pinnacle of science and learning, the facts of the matter that the Fundamentalist and radical Islam of today is not so progressive.

If you believe that things such as execution for adultery is the correct punishment, if you believe honor killings of wives and daughters is reasonable, if you believe that executing non-believers for "blasphemy" is justified, if you believe suicide bombings of markets is a good tactic, if you believe broadcasting a video of you beheading a journalist is admirable, if you believe women should not be educated, and I can go on and on in this vein, then yes, maybe the West (and East and Latin America) isn't "right."

The West certainly has its faults. Environmental destruction, for example, is one way where our lifestyles have really had a huge impact. And our economic policies, for right or wrong, affect everyone. But as creatures of our cultures, of course we are going to believe that we are in the "right." And so do I.

I have no problem with the religion of Islam. And I think the majority of Muslims in the world are "good" people. But the radical fringe has hijacked the religion into something different, unlike in the West where the Christian radical fringe has very little sway.

[EnSvenskTiger]

Today it’s obviouslyPC to bash and kill Muslims. At least acc to members in this forum. Ninety years ago it was OK to do the same with Jews.Where did that take us? Not again I say. Not one more time.

Tiger

[Ulysses G.]

Come on. No one is promoting "bashing and killing" Muslims that are not violent terrorists.

The Jews of the Holocaust were peaceful pacifists that were not doing anything to anybody other than practicing the "wrong" religion. There is no comparison.

[coma]

More reason for the Pakistani government to get its military into line and into action in the region to clean that place up. We can airstrike them for decades and it will not change a thing. It needs to be cleared and held by ground troops. So Pakistan best get to it then they will not have these drones to worry about.

egads, I agree.

Someone help me, I'm choking................

Breathe geriatrickid. Breathe!

[Wallaby]

Maybe if the west wins it will be a sprial to the dark age.

Why must one always think the west is right.

Why must the other side always think they are right? What have they accomplished or contributed to all of mankind over the past 1000 years?

Is that the only reason you have for believing the west is right? If a people have not accomplished or contributed to mankind does that make them wrong?

[Wallaby]

The US is at war. War is messy, and yes, sometimes there are innocent victims or, in Pentagon-speak; "collateral damage." The first thing Pakistanis and Arabs should do is not conjugate with any people suspected of being baddies. Not even deliver camel dung to them. If you're rubbing shoulders with baddies, and the bomb drops out of the sky, you're likely to be vaporized along with them. The west happens to have superior weapons now, such as drone bombs, but history shows it's only a matter of time (and money, which they have a lot of) before the baddies get similar weapons. Do you think they'd hesitate for a Medina minute to use whatever weapons do the job?

bold is mine

Do you think the west hesitates to use them?

They bombed SUSPECTED militants. One may wish to have something a bit stronger than being suspected before they are killed. Do they know their names? What reason where they suspected or do they just call everyone suspects.

[Ulysses G.]

They bombed SUSPECTED militants.

Link please.

[Wallaby]

They bombed SUSPECTED militants.

Link please.

In the OP

U.S. drone stikes kill 12 suspected militants in Pakistan

[pomeloseed]

With the wealth of data retrieved from OBL's rats nest, expect several military strikes soon.

As for 'fairness' or whatever about drone attacks. Of course militants hate them. Drones are silent heartless killers which zap from the sky with no warning, any time day or night. Yet, every time there's been a significant development in warfare or tactics there have been those who cry foul - from the first time primitive warriors tossed flaming torches on grass roofed huts. I just read about a Chinese jet fighter ace from the Korean war who took offense at US jets shooting Chinese jets as they were slowing down to land at their airfields, being too low on fuel to fight any more. He thought that was unbecoming of a warrior. Maybe so, but warfare is often about killing your enemies any way you can - and it's often a dirty business, with rarely a 'Miranda Rights' reading before a hit.

Today it's obviouslyPC to bash and kill Muslims. At least acc to members in this forum. Ninety years ago it was OK to do the same with Jews.Where did that take us? Not again I say. Not one more time.

Tiger

Comparing hot head Muslims of today's world with shopkeeping Jews in Europe of the 1940's is beyond 'apples and oranges.' If I have an shot at disabling a terrorist who's about to strap a bomb belt on a youngster with instructions to 'go to a crowded market and become a martyr' (some of the bomb belt inductees are retarded women or kids as young as 13) - there's no hesitation I would take immediate action.

[Wallaby]

With the wealth of data retrieved from OBL's rats nest, expect several military strikes soon.

As for 'fairness' or whatever about drone attacks. Of course militants hate them. Drones are silent heartless killers which zap from the sky with no warning, any time day or night. Yet, every time there's been a significant development in warfare or tactics there have been those who cry foul - from the first time primitive warriors tossed flaming torches on grass roofed huts. I just read about a Chinese jet fighter ace from the Korean war who took offense at US jets shooting Chinese jets as they were slowing down to land at their airfields, being too low on fuel to fight any more. He thought that was unbecoming of a warrior. Maybe so, but warfare is often about killing your enemies any way you can - and it's often a dirty business, with rarely a 'Miranda Rights' reading before a hit.

One cannot then blame the enemy with inferior weapons at their disposal, for using the same tactics and killing their enemy any way they can.