Pakistan

8 German nationals killed in drone strike

At least 9 people including german nationals killed in a suspected US drone attack in Mir Ali, North Waziristan.

Reuters/express October 04, 2010

PESHAWAR: At least nine people have been killed in a suspected US drone strike in Mir Ali, North Waziristan. Eight suspected militants of German nationality are said to have been killed in the attack, Pakistani intelligence officials said.

Western security officials have been warning that they believe a group of individuals in northern Pakistan were connected to a plot to attack targets in Europe.

According to details, the drone fired two missiles on a house near Bilal Mosque of the Mir Ali market. Two people were also injured in the attack. People of the area have reportedly cleared the rubble of the destroyed home without any support of the administration.

Recent reports reveal that the United States’ military is secretly diverting aerial drones from Afghanistan to escalate a CIA-led campaign against militants in Pakistan, the Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

Government implicated

According to an editorial in The Express Tribune:

As far as the drone attacks are concerned, it really is no secret that in many cases the aircraft have taken off from bases inside Pakistan, bases in the US of American forces, or partially in their use, and that such an arrangement was obviously agreed to by the government as well as the military.

Taliban respond

Officials say the bullet-riddled bodies of three men were recently found at the side of a road in North Waziristan, killed by suspected Pakistani Taliban militants in apparent retaliation for recent US drone strikes in the area.

Public against drone strikes

A recent survey shows nine out of every ten people in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) of Pakistan oppose the US military and drone campaign to pursue al-Qaeda and Taliban in their region.

The public opinion survey (available here), conducted by the New America Foundation and Terror Free Tomorrow, interviewed a thousand FATA residents across 120 villages in all seven tribal Agencies of FATA.

Nearly 70 per cent of the respondents wanted the Pakistani military alone to fight Taliban and al-Qaeda militants in the tribal areas.

Polls conducted on The Express Tribune website show similar results. In July, readers were asked if drone attacks in Fata were justified. A majority (64 per cent) of the responses were ‘No.’ When asked again whether they were ‘for or against drone strikes?’ in September, 68 per cent of the respondents said they were against them.

Are you for or against drone strikes in FATA?

For: 46

Against: 101

Total: 147 (September 21, 2010)

Are drone attacks in FATA justified?

Yes: 68

No: 119

Total: 187 (July 18, 2010)

COMMENTS (21)

Dale | 14 years ago | Reply The critics of the drone attacks offer no better solution. This is as surgical as war gets. What other option is there? Would you prefer full-scale invasion on the ground, and a ground war that kills hundreds of thousands of innocent people? Or perhaps you prefer to just ignore Al Queda until they achieve their stated goal of nuclear terrorism? It is naive to think a full scale invasion would be a better solution, but it is far more naive to think society can just ignore terrorist safe-havens. The best solution is the drone attacks. Think of it as surgery to remove the malignant tumor called Al Queda / Taliban from the body of humanity.

Sadia Hussain | 14 years ago | Reply An operation in North Wazirstan is much needed as militants are regrouping and NWA is the new flash point. These militants pose a dire threat at home and to allied forces across the border.

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subramani | 14 years ago | Reply From day 1 the State of Pakistan does not have a direction.Its only anti India,Anti Hindus,no ideology of its own as to how to create and administer an welfare state of its citizens. A nation living in negativity can never flourish and it will certainly be an permanent HEAD ACHE to the civilized world. the only viable alternative is to give Independence to all the Regions of Pakistan and allow the different cultures flourish on its own.

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply @Bilal, You say RAW is sponsoring them. You know this how? Taliban were supported by ISI and are even used to carry our attacks on Indian interests in Afghanistan. If TTP is supported by India then why on earth did the Musharaff government made a deal with them? Remember Fazlullah, Sufi Mohammad? Very convenient for you to say that they are supported by RAW now, isn't it. Drones are slow moving are not even supersonic. They can easily be shot down by Pak army. The fact that they are not doing so indicated that they are intentionally ignoring the drone strikes. My advice to you is get your head out of the sand and smell the coffee.

Asim | 14 years ago | Reply @ Joe its very easy to comment in favor of drone strike while sitting in America. Regardless of relegion, one cannot see his own faults or mistakes responsible for consequences. Instead of creating more enemies by killing peoples from unmanned aircrafts one should analyse and solve the root cause of the problem. In our view, If America sincerely (bcz we doubt it) wants to flush out the region with militants than they must clear what they did from 1979-92. Its hard to beleive that only militants have beed killed in drone strikes. When some innocent father, mother, brother or sister killed in such strikes than what there family members will do? The same thing US is doing after 9/11....prepare, get trained and strike hard with all your available resources.... We are not in favor of fundamentalists. What they r doing is wrong but how they r treated by world particularly US is worse. If US wants to clear out their own created mess in FATA, than they should invest in the well being of peoples living there instead of investing in killing technologies to create more enemies.... Remember peoples living in FATA were famous for their hospitality before 1979.

GUI | 14 years ago | Reply Don't these scum foreigners violate our national sovereignty by using our lands to plot crimes against humanity? Where is the public outrage? Why has the govt allowed our country to be highjacked by murderous jihadis from all over the world? Is this why Pakistan was created? We better get our act together real fast and kick these jerks back to wherever it is they came from.

jai | 14 years ago | Reply Well if the Pakistani establishment allows it's land to be used by terrorists then it cannot claim sovereignty. Sovereignty implies establishing the rule of law on the land not just claiming territory. Drones is the way to go if Pakistan does not neutralize these terrorists.. Collateral damage is unfortunate but war is hell. When have civilians not died in war even if unintended. These terrorists target civilians too.

faraz | 14 years ago | Reply We have to cleanse this international hub of terrorism, any major terrorist attack in europe will make life difficult of pakistanis living aborad.

Akbar | 14 years ago | Reply Can somebody tell me what were these Germans tourists doing there?

Bilal | 14 years ago | Reply @Anoop & @Subramani..these attacks are not justified at all. Now the news is Germans are being killed in a drone strike, i would rather name it a conspiracy theory to give these attacks a valid reason and already Americans are shouting for last one week about the attacks being planned on Europe. Most importantly, Taliban in Pakistan are not the real Tablis but a created faction backed by Indian (RAW) operatives with in Afghanistan working as a social workers. so there is no point of blaming Pakistan. @Joe, the same people when fought cold war for US itself against Russians, they were heroes, now they are called terrorists. This is a double standard and baseless theory.

A Suhail | 14 years ago | Reply Good riddance!!! How come these guys from Germany/England etc just come to Pakistan and end up at North Waziristan? Seems so easy for these people. Where is the immigration authority and the ever efficient Airforce security force?

Mehr | 14 years ago | Reply To all commenting above me Just wish drones flying over our urban areas, imagine one targets your street and hits your rooftop leaving you parents dead and your head flies off across the street.And all this happens while a hot pursuit is in action. I wish this happens so you come to understand what sovereignty means. You people need to be shoved back to classrooms together with grade 5 kids to understand how national borders work and what UN charter works on this. Infact i think you all should be just jailed to be stopped form promoting such retarded ideas making yourself appear worst than TTP. Any such activity within Pakistan should be done by Pak Military.

Abu Haj El Do-wop | 14 years ago | Reply Since Pakistan cannot or will not rid itself of these bloodthirsty murderers within and without its borders, drones are necessary and wonderfully effective. The fear they must be creating in the minds (if they even have them) of these savages is uplifting.

Joe from Panama | 14 years ago | Reply Islam is peace. Muslims would never commit terrorist acts. All terrorism is done by non-Muslims. LOL

Joe from Panama | 14 years ago | Reply These Muslims who congregate in so-called "lawless tribal regions" must be living in constant fear of the next explosion from 600 lb. missiles launched from way above their heads and that is a good thing as justice is being delivered to them almost daily now. They allowed Bin Laden and his Arab terrorists to launch attacks against America from their soil and they no doubt realise how foolish that was and are paying for supporting terrorism with their own lives. They and they alone are responsible for the deaths of THOUSANDS of fellow Muslims.

Hamid El Drone | 14 years ago | Reply murderers will never listen to reason, law or even God Himself so may these awe-inspiring missiles launched by Drones above the clouds continue to punish and annihilate these lawless creatures as they rain down upon their heads.

Ali | 14 years ago | Reply lol@sultan ahmed

Anoop | 14 years ago | Reply Drones are the only way to get at Terrorists now that Pak army is refusing to go to North Waziristan.

Sultan Ahmed. | 14 years ago | Reply Drone strikes are not justified they target insurgents but in result have seen the deaths of innocent people. They cross the border without prior permission it is violation of international law. Pakistan is a sovereign state,so they should honor of its territories.

subramani | 14 years ago | Reply Drones must be increased manifold to contain this lawless tribal land which is taking the world for a ride.No business of sovereignty in an area where there is no Govt.in existence. These terrorists are not Islamists,Does Islam preaches to plant bombs in Mosques and Market places,does the religion preaches them to slit the throat of fellow Muslims. These are beasts in human form,can never be corrected,needs to be destroyed from the roots and civilian deaths are not even collateral ,they are collaborators. They must realize no more they are UN-reachable ,no more they can hide in the mountains after committing crimes against humanity. Needs to be destroyed without any sympathy whatsoever.

Natasha | 14 years ago | Reply The so-called 'secret' pact with NATO regarding allowing the forces to enter Pakistani territory within 5 kms during 'hot persuits' should also be talked about as these not-so-secret drone attacks deal is discussed. Will help readers understand the 'sincerity' behind the 'protests'.

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