US steps up drone attacks in Pakistan after convoy talks fail
Five suspected militants died in an American drone strike early on Monday, the fourth attack in the past week as the CIA steps up its controversial campaign in the skies over Pakistan.
Local officials said the target was a compound in Hassokhel town, close to Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan, a haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters.
Drones have bombarded Pakistan's tribal areas since 2004, but slowed their barrage this year as Islamabad and Washington tried to patch up their differences to allow Nato supply convoys back on to Pakistani roads.
However, the strikes have intensified since a Nato summit in Chicago earlier this month, where President Barack Obama failed to reach an agreement with his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari.
"The US drones targeting a militant compound and a vehicle fired four missiles killing five rebels," said a Pakistani security official.
Clinton to Zardari: Show leadership, crackdown on extremists
NEW YORK: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly told a "subdued" President Asif Ali Zardari to show leadership in forging national unity to step up the campaign against militants, according to a media report on their May 20 meeting in Chicago.
Drone strikes 'essential' for US security
Washington: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has termed the use of drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen to target terrorist targets as absolutely essential ''to our ability to defend Americans''.
Panetta called drone strikes "one of the most precise weapons that we have in our arsenal," and said that protecting US security by levelling terrorist targets in countries like Pakistan and Yemen takes priority, reports The Nation.
"And using the operations that we have, using the systems that we have, using the weapons that we have, is absolutely essential to our ability to defend Americans. That's what counts, and that's what we're doing," he added.
"We're still dealing with the Taliban. Although they've been weakened, they are resilient. They'll continue to conduct attacks. We'll continue to see IED attacks taking place. We have the concern about the safe haven in Pakistan, the fact that they can seek refuge in that safe haven, that's a concern. All of those things are continuing challenges," Panetta further said.
Drones could be shot down through shoulder-fired missiles that we made 15 years ago: A.Q Khan
Islamabad: Founding father of Pakistan’s nuclear program Dr Abdul Qadir Khan has said that Pakistan was capable of shooting down US drones but it needs courage.He was speaking to a private television on Monday as the nation commemorated Youme-e-Takbir, the day when Pakistan became seventh nuclear power of the world and sole nuclear power of the Muslim world.Khan said “We have gotten the ability to shoot down such planes 15 years ago in Kahuta research laboratories by making shoulder-fired missiles. “We are being abused, we are being attacked by drones but we do nothing. Helicopters come, violating our sovereignty but we do nothing,
Our army has taken oath for country’s defence, what happened to that oath,” Khan added.
Five suspected militants died in an American drone strike early on Monday, the fourth attack in the past week as the CIA steps up its controversial campaign in the skies over Pakistan.
Local officials said the target was a compound in Hassokhel town, close to Miranshah, the capital of North Waziristan, a haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda-linked fighters.
Drones have bombarded Pakistan's tribal areas since 2004, but slowed their barrage this year as Islamabad and Washington tried to patch up their differences to allow Nato supply convoys back on to Pakistani roads.
However, the strikes have intensified since a Nato summit in Chicago earlier this month, where President Barack Obama failed to reach an agreement with his Pakistani counterpart, Asif Ali Zardari.
"The US drones targeting a militant compound and a vehicle fired four missiles killing five rebels," said a Pakistani security official.
Clinton to Zardari: Show leadership, crackdown on extremists
NEW YORK: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton bluntly told a "subdued" President Asif Ali Zardari to show leadership in forging national unity to step up the campaign against militants, according to a media report on their May 20 meeting in Chicago.
Drone strikes 'essential' for US security
Washington: US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has termed the use of drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen to target terrorist targets as absolutely essential ''to our ability to defend Americans''.
Panetta called drone strikes "one of the most precise weapons that we have in our arsenal," and said that protecting US security by levelling terrorist targets in countries like Pakistan and Yemen takes priority, reports The Nation.
"And using the operations that we have, using the systems that we have, using the weapons that we have, is absolutely essential to our ability to defend Americans. That's what counts, and that's what we're doing," he added.
Drones could be shot down through shoulder-fired missiles that we made 15 years ago: A.Q Khan
Islamabad: Founding father of Pakistan’s nuclear program Dr Abdul Qadir Khan has said that Pakistan was capable of shooting down US drones but it needs courage.He was speaking to a private television on Monday as the nation commemorated Youme-e-Takbir, the day when Pakistan became seventh nuclear power of the world and sole nuclear power of the Muslim world.Khan said “We have gotten the ability to shoot down such planes 15 years ago in Kahuta research laboratories by making shoulder-fired missiles. “We are being abused, we are being attacked by drones but we do nothing. Helicopters come, violating our sovereignty but we do nothing,
Our army has taken oath for country’s defence, what happened to that oath,” Khan added.