Majority in USA support drone attacks

In a very unusual and selective survey, a majority of US citizens support armed drone attacks on militants around the world. 

The survey was carried out between May 12-18 based on telephone interviews with around 2,000 adults living in all 50 US states and the capital Washington. It has a margin of error of 2.5 per cent.

Three in 10 Americans said they were very concerned that US strikes could lead to retaliation from extremist groups and only 24 per cent said the strikes could damage America's reputation. A 29 per cent, said they were very concerned about whether the strikes were legal.

It may be added that US president Obama relies heavily on drone raids to hunt down Al Qaeda leaders and other Islamist extremists from Pakistan's tribal areas to Somalia and Yemen.

Source | Photo
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US drone targets Pakistan's city Hangu

In a rare 'move forward', the US drone targeted a seminary in the city of Hangu - the settled areas of Pakistan, killing  eight and injuring five.

So far the American drones have restricted their operations in the non-settled areas of the frontier region and tribal areas of Pakistan. But the Friday's strike into the settled areas of Pakistan has raised many a concerns for Pakistan.

It is now being feared that Americans one day may strike Peshawar or even Islamabad.

The CIA-operated, remotely piloted Predators or the more deadly Reapers fired three missiles at a seminary in the Tal area of Hangu district today, according to Dawn. Siraj Haqqani was spotted at the seminary just two days ago, Reuters reported.

It is not clear how many of those killed in today's strike are civilians, or jihadists or supporters affiliated with the Taliban. Dawn identified the six killed as "Kaleemullah, Abdul Rehman, Mufti Hamidullah Haqqani, Maulvi Ahmed Jan, Abdullah and Gul Marjan." Jan, Haqqani, and Rehman are said to be "key leaders" in the Haqqani network; Jan was described as an aide to Siraj as well as a key financier.

The strike in Hangu took place just 11 days after Siraj's brother, Nasiruddin, was killed in a drive-by shooting in Islamabad. No group has claimed credit for killing Nasiruddin.

Read more about it at: The Long War Journal
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Hakimullah Mehsud likely killed by drone attack

In a major development, it is more than likely that  leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, has been killed in a drone strike

BBC quoting a high-ranking Taliban official has aired the news.

The strike targeted a vehicle used by Mehsud with four missiles in the north-western region of North Waziristan. Mehsud became leader of the Pakistani Taliban in 2009, aged 30, after Baitullah Mehsud died in a US drone strike at his father-in-law's residence in South Waziristan.

In the meanwhile, Pakistan's government has issued a statement strongly condemning the drone attack, saying such strikes were a "violation of Pakistan's sovereignty and territorial integrity".

It may be added that whenever there are arrangements to talk to Taliban by Pakistan, drone attacks are unleashed and kill some high profile Taliban leader to sabotage the peace talks.

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US detention of Imran Khan - a bid to harass anti-drone advocates

Imran Khan is, according to numerous polls, the most popular politician in Pakistan and may very well be that country's next prime minister.

Imran Khan vehemently opposes US drone attacks on Pakistan that kill innocent children and women [Photo: Drones Watch]

He is also a vehement critic of U.S. drone attacks on his country, vowing to order them shot down if he is prime minister and leading an anti-drone protest march last month.

On Saturday, Khan boarded a flight from Canada to New York in order to appear at a fundraising lunch and other events. But before the flight could take off, U.S. immigration officials removed him from the plane and detained him for two hours, causing him to miss the flight.

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On Twitter, Khan reported that he was "interrogated on [his] views on drones" and then added: "My stance is known. Drone attacks must stop." He then defiantly noted: "Missed flight and sad to miss the fundraising lunch in NY but nothing will change my stance."

Read more: Press TV

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US assassination drone attacks kill 28 in NW Pakistan

At least 28 people have been killed and several others injured in the latest US assassination drone strikes in northwestern tribal belt of Pakistan, near the border with Afghanistan, Press TV reports.

The first attack took place on Friday when the unmanned aircraft targeted a house in North Waziristan region, claiming 9 lives. At least 19 more civilians lost their lives in a second attack in the same volatile region.

Despite the Pakistani government’s repeated calls on Washington to end the drone attacks, the US government continues its strikes on the tribal regions of the country.

Washington claims its drone strikes target militants, although casualty figures clearly indicate that Pakistani civilians are the main victims of the non-UN-sanctioned attacks.

More than 150 people have died in drone attacks in Pakistan’s northwest tribal regions since the beginning of this year.

Read more: WR News

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US drone attack kills four militants in Miranshah

[ via The News ] 11 Jan

While all calm prevailed in the incessant drone attacks by USA in the northern areas of Pakistan after the November 26 incident in which dozens of Pakistan soldiers including two officers were killed, the drone are back again.

A US drone attack targeting a militant compound in the tribal area near the Afghan border killed four militants late Tuesday, security officials said.

Two missiles hit a compound on the outer skirts of Miranshah, in the North Waziristan region, killing four, one official said. The attack triggered a fire in the building and flames could be seen from the roof of houses in Miranshah, five kilometers away, residents reported.

Read more: The News

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CIA likely to resume drone strikes

[ via The Express Tribune ] 9 Jan

America’s Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) is likely to resume the drone campaign that it had apparently called off following a deadly Nato airstrike on Pakistani border posts in the Mohmand tribal region on November 26, 2011. 

Sources told The Express Tribune on Sunday that both sides have almost agreed on ‘fresh terms of engagements’ to resume drone attacks against suspected al Qaeda members and their local facilitators hiding in the tribal areas, including North and South Waziristan.

Read more: The Express Tribune

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