US seeks to expand drone operations
* The Washington Post report says US wants to target senior Taliban, al Qaeda members operating outside FATA
* Pakistan has agreed to expanded CIA presence in Quetta
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The US is seeking to expand the areas where American missiles can target Taliban and al Qaeda operatives, reflecting concern that the US war effort in Afghanistan is being undermined by terrorists continued ability to take sanctuary across the border, US and Pakistani officials said on Saturday.
The US is increasingly relying on the missile strikes by remote-controlled drones flying over Pakistani territory to find and kill terrorists that have free rein in the lawless areas along the border, where they plan attacks against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan
He would not specify which new areas the American side hoped to target, but an article in The Washington Post identified one as around Quetta where Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar is believed to operate.
The drones now operate in designated boxes in FATA, the ISI official said. He confirmed that US officials had sought both to enlarge the current boxes and establish new ones outside the tribal zone where senior Taliban and al Qaeda operatives are suspected to be operating.
Expansion: The Washington Post also reported that Pakistan had agreed to more limited measures, including an expanded CIA presence in Quetta, where the American spy agency would work with the Inter-Services Intelligence to hunt down Taliban leaders.
Senior Pakistani officials expressed resentment over what they described as misplaced US pressure to do more, saying the US had not controlled the Afghan side of the border, is preoccupied by arbitrary military deadlines and had little regard for Pakistans internal security problems. You expect us to open the skies for anything that you can fly, said a high-ranking Pakistani intelligence official, who described the Quetta request as an affront to Pakistani sovereignty. In which country can you do that? ap/daily times monitor.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\21\story_21-11-2010_pg1_1
* The Washington Post report says US wants to target senior Taliban, al Qaeda members operating outside FATA
* Pakistan has agreed to expanded CIA presence in Quetta
ISLAMABAD/LAHORE: The US is seeking to expand the areas where American missiles can target Taliban and al Qaeda operatives, reflecting concern that the US war effort in Afghanistan is being undermined by terrorists continued ability to take sanctuary across the border, US and Pakistani officials said on Saturday.
The US is increasingly relying on the missile strikes by remote-controlled drones flying over Pakistani territory to find and kill terrorists that have free rein in the lawless areas along the border, where they plan attacks against American and NATO troops in Afghanistan
He would not specify which new areas the American side hoped to target, but an article in The Washington Post identified one as around Quetta where Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Omar is believed to operate.
The drones now operate in designated boxes in FATA, the ISI official said. He confirmed that US officials had sought both to enlarge the current boxes and establish new ones outside the tribal zone where senior Taliban and al Qaeda operatives are suspected to be operating.
Expansion: The Washington Post also reported that Pakistan had agreed to more limited measures, including an expanded CIA presence in Quetta, where the American spy agency would work with the Inter-Services Intelligence to hunt down Taliban leaders.
Senior Pakistani officials expressed resentment over what they described as misplaced US pressure to do more, saying the US had not controlled the Afghan side of the border, is preoccupied by arbitrary military deadlines and had little regard for Pakistans internal security problems. You expect us to open the skies for anything that you can fly, said a high-ranking Pakistani intelligence official, who described the Quetta request as an affront to Pakistani sovereignty. In which country can you do that? ap/daily times monitor.
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\11\21\story_21-11-2010_pg1_1
