Zawahiri and Libi rank high in CIA drone hit-list: Report
United States (US) officials, however, reportedly said that lower-level fighters and other insurgent groups will remain a focus of Predator surveillance and strikes.
Officials said al Qaeda’s contraction comes amid indications that the group has considered relocating in recent years. The group’s weakened condition has raised questions for the CIA about its deployment of personnel and resources.
Despite the fact that US counter terrorism officials now assess al Qaeda’s offshoot in Yemen as a significantly greater threat, the CIA’s station in Pakistan’s capital remains one of its largest in the world.
According to officials, CIA has resisted moving operatives away from Pakistan because its priority is to extinguish the network’s base as al Qaeda has regrouped in the past.
The leadership ranks of the main al Qaeda terrorist network, once expansive enough to supervise the plot for September 11, 2001, have been reduced to just two figures whose demise would mean the group’s defeat, US counterterrorism and intelligence officials said.
“Now is not the time to let up the pressure,” said a US official familiar with drone operations, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.
“We’ve got an opportunity to keep them down, and letting up now could allow them to regenerate.”
The arrest this week of an alleged al Qaeda sympathizer in New York underscored the group’s ability to inspire “lone wolf” attacks.
US officials, still, who described al Qaeda as being on the verge of defeat after Osama bin Laden was killed said they have been surprised by the pace and extent of the group’s contraction in the six months since then.
“We have rendered the organisation that brought us 9/11 operationally ineffective,” a senior US counterterrorism official said. Speaking on whether what exists of al Qaeda’s leadership group beyond the top two positions, the official said: “Not very much. Not any of the world-class terrorists they once had.”
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Perhaps the US would have to invade each and every base in Pakistan like Abbottabad! It is about time that the US must demand the head of these terrorists. In case of failure, they should take the matter in their own hands. Enough is enough the killing of innocent Pakistani civilians and police officials must stop now.
We can always invite equally insane market base solution for every crazy social problem we have. What we need is Chinese drones flying plugged into a "rent a drone" website where Pakistanis can log in and play by the minute to take out their favorite Jihadi target over N and S Waziristan.
Nice picture. Superimposed on a background of bookshelf of religious books. Just like he is superimposing his version of religion on others.
I agree with Sidrah Rafique, but must also add that far more innocent people have been killed by our secular political parties, whose leaders sit comfortably in exile in the very same countries that have launched this war on terror.
really!!!...wont have guessed that one
@sidrah rafique
Was that rhetorical question Sidrah?
The reason why your domestic (domestic!!! they're hardly domestic) Lashkars are not targeted is because they have patrons in your establishments. Come on, don't you know it?!
@sidrah rafique: Well don't you think that domestic groups is pakistan army's responsibility? After all, when the americans use drones against these jamaats, it' considered as 'innocent' blood shed.
They have been high on the list for 10 years
what about our domestic religious fanatics? who will take them out? why only the alqaeda guys are targetted,why not the various lashkars,tehreeks and jamat this and jamat that? far more pakistanis have been murdered at the hands of our local religious terrorists,who will eliminate them?