Officials: Suspected drone strike kills up to 30 in Pakistan
A suspected U.S. drone strike killed up to 30 people Thursday after targeting a meeting of local elders in Pakistan's remote tribal areas, intelligence officials told CNN.
Two intelligence officials said the drone fired two missiles on the jirga meeting in the area of Data Khel of North Waziristan, one of the seven districts of Pakistan's volatile tribal region bordering Afghanistan.
One official said 30 died in the strike, while a second official said that 24 had died. There was no explanation for the discrepancy.
An additional 14 people were reported injured, including some civilians, the sources said.
The unusually high number of dead from the drone attack could fuel already high anger in Pakistan over American involvement there.
On Wednesday, Raymond Davis, a CIA contractor, was released after the payment of "blood money," causing an outrage among Pakistanis. The high casualty count of the suspected strike comes as protests are expected across the country in reaction to his release.
The intelligence officials asked not be named because they were not authorized to speak to the media.
Based on a CNN count, Thursday's suspected drone strike was the 18th of the year, compared with 111 in all of 2010.
U.S. officials rarely acknowledge publicly the CIA's secret drone program in Pakistan.
anybody have any information on when Libyan-crossroads will start its 5-10 year run
INTERESTING- truth is very easy to manipulate.
We should be having big demonstrations like Egypt against Karzai due to his supporting from Taliban, his brothers. People of the country who sacrifice for the country and who has been defending since long years for the country to destroy and remove the barbarism, terrorists Taliban Aqaeda and their supporters in the country now Karzai is dealing all of the achievements which gotten by a lot of sacrificing and losing of lives of int and national communities to the Taliban Alqaeda. We people who live in the country do not want Karzai anymore he is not the leader of Afghans, he could be the leader of east and south where his brothers are living there, he can join his brothers, but he can not sell all the achievement on them. We the Afghans are very disappointed why the Int forces are listen against the actions that Karzai is taking, Did not the international forces to come to the country to remove Taliban Alqeda and their supporters? Didn’t they? And now why the Int forces releasing the Taliban Alqaeda and their supporters from Guantanamu, don’t they? Any one can little bit shed light on the issues !!!
Pamirit....your posts are very well written. If it is real picture of Karzai then he should not be there. Yet I ave a feeling int community thinks he is against Taliban ..??
Since Rabani is listening from Karzai and saying Karzai's ideas from his mouth the people of Afghanistan, especially Badakhshan people where Rabani has strong hold are becoming against him, because they do not want to be back Taliban some how on power, look now Karzai is like epidemic disease for All
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Tally me dead terrorists. Daylight come and me wanna go home.
The real terrorist gang is the US military. They routinely kill civilians. Even in Serbia they killed more civilians than soldiers in the proportion of 4 to 1. US military is composed mostly by ignorant and perverted people, as we saw during the Abu Ghraib tortures scandal. It is difficoult to say if the $ex abuses were part of the military training or if was natural for the soldiers to act like dogs.
I take it you do not pay attention to the news about all the arab pervs. What is the acceptable age for middle eastern cultures to marry girls-10-12?Judge not lest ye be judged.
Sherri – your comparison is misleading and inappropriate as you compare violence toward another countrie's people with customs INSIDE a different culture. Marriages with under age girls were common in the past, were organized by the parents and they are still now common in India. Violence against prisoners is a totally different thing.
Salerno-totally callous. Ten twelve year old girls are being tortured when their parents marry them off to people they truly do not know or most likley do not care to be with. I feel like vomiting when I imagine a poor ten year old paired up witha perv 20 yr old or older. These girls are innocent victims of this culture.
You were trying to imply the soldiers culture led them to act the way they did. You just clarifed that your culutre allows these perverted callous acts as acceptable. We treat our dogs better than you treat your women.
Sherri – I told you I am not arab, so it is THEIR custom, not mine. Islam treats women better than we do.
You are confusing marriage with under age girls (14-18 y/o, not 10-12 as puberty must be respected), with pedophilie, wich is diffused in our western culture. OUR CULTURE IS FULL OF VULGARITY, Islam is free from that, but occasionally individuals can do wrong.
Today violence against prisoners is not acceptable and the perversion shiowed by the US soldiers speaks volimes about their education. On the other hand, inside arabs organized marriages were a tool in order to make alliances among different clan, during difficoult conditons of life, in a war time, when the average extension of life was very low ( in Afghanistan is low even now). Islam was the first culture to give rights to the women like the inheritance. So the reality is that women are mistreated everywhere, but you cannot pretend that in poor countries they can have the same wellfare than in the rich countries.
The women in afghanistan don't need US bombs. They are able to fight for theimselves. The Women organization (RAWA) is doing this, but they are also fighting against US aggression.
Just shut up.....................
Since I have known my right and let hands I have heard and I have the proves that the Pakistan has been supporting terrorists and most of Pakistan are Terrorists and They do not know how to respect and how to live with human being they just know how to kill each other. And now the united states targeted right place and the Afghans have the wishes to destroy both sides of the borders, to release all the world and humanity from terrorists and barbarism, it is good to kill terrorists in their nets rather than kill them in your modern cities
Thank you and blessings to you for the truth.
well written Pamiri
Tally me dead terrorists. Day light come and me wanna go home.
collateral damage,what a wonderful broad spectrum. one country can go into another countries airspace, drop their payloads on what their always going to say were the bad boys and have their scripted apology papers sitting by the side of the desk.mean while in Libya,Gadhafi forces are fighting armed rebels in towns and villages in THEIR OWN COUNTRY!!!!! but apparently their not allowed to use the term collateral damage or the scripted apology.mean while in Yemen and Bahrain unarmed protesters are being shot?NO FLY ZONE in these incidents,certainly not[too close to someone's oil source]SAUDIA ARABIA ,lets see how fast someone goes in and secures those oilfields!!!!!!!!!!!!!! .
rob – you hit right in the spot. US double standard is well illustrated in your post. they use human rights as a political tool in order to violate them whenever and wherever they have some interest to do it. Human rights gave them a way to keep up with the appearences deceiving american people and lying to them.
you didn't mention USA once. strange. but other poster drags it in. more strange.
Gadahafi did a far more damage to people than Bahrain and yemen.
NO. In Yemen even drones were used.
War on terror is an oxymoron. It is technically impossible. Even Rumsfeld who is not a genius realized it .
"O heavy lightness! Serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms!
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!"
Pakistan is a hell big MESS which is not fixable and i am very sure of it 😛
Pakistan should be nuked !!! LOL
FUBAR
Drone attacks are absolutely essential against war on terror. Number of drone attacks should be substantially increased.
US forces do not have to be physically present and the Collateral damage is minimal. Results so far are fantastic!
It's kind of like Bulling the Bully.
yep, and for every person they kill, they create 10 more with so much hate for the US in their hearts that they would blow themselves up just to kill some Americans.
Amazing results indeed!
And what are you doing in Afghanistan again? Looking for the tooth fairy..wait UBL right?
Their hatred for western civilization will not change because of drone attacks, if anything it will make them realize that their fight against the western world is fruitless!
No, they will START fighting against the US after these attacks-
Pakistan and IRAN knows that they can't fight with the US.
so why not accept their lose and stop B!tching with the USA.
Pakistan and IRAN is the terrorists, if they stop it, no one will blow themself.
What do you mean STA RT they have been fighting the western world since the 80's with their cowardly terrorist attacks!
No, those tribes in Afghanistan, including the Taliban and Haqqani were allied with US against the Soviet. In the eighties attcks were related to the Palestine questiion, and did not have a big impact on US.
Must announce innocent civilians to leave Taliban. Then announce Taliban to lay down arms and surrender .Must give few days to surrender.Only few days. If not they can get destroyed as they prefer it.
The US selling heroine aspect does seem a bit over the top. Personally, I think they are helping to clean up Mexico so that the Mexicans quit cutting in on the pharmaceuticals drug trade in America.
I have often wondered why we have not attacked Saudi Arabia since this was where the 9/11 attackers came from. Well, I know why-$_nonetheless it is BS.
We need to brin g our troops home, quit paying out money to corrupt regimes and become isolationist like China.
Saudi monarchy is a tyrannic regime allied with US and they are a reliable source for oil. This can explain US double standard about human rights.
How many years have you spent in Afghanistan? And I dont mean hiding in your little base. I mean actually in the field?
Look up heroin trafficking and supply chain and the role of the US army in it. Look up the millions of dollars spent to set up heroin labs in Afghanistan. Look up the warlords who are paid a million dollars a week to protect the opium crops in their areas. look up Haji Din Mohammad, the man who the US bows down to because of his control of the drug trade. look up July 2009, when karzai pardoned five notorious drug traffickers who were using police and army vehicles to transport heroin to the airport, where its loaded on US planes and flown to europe.
Question, why does the US do nothing to stop opium production? Did you ever think about that? The crops are right in front of their faces, why cant they just set fire to them? Better yet, what has the US done to stop the opium trade other than bark? Nothing.
But I guess like most americans, you know everything about my country and how it works while sitting in your living room and stuffing your face with pizza. Afterall, if fox news doesnt say it, it doesnt exist.
Time ago a CNN news reported that the US military tried to convince people to convert opium coltivations in to biofuel, but it was a project, and probably nothing done yet.
What is it with you middle eastern guys-so rude. Anyway, I would imagine the US does not destroy the fields for much the same reason we do not destroy the people in these countries. We are trying to help you keep as many of your natural resources and people as possible. Chances are the poppy fields are full of children or innocent people that work in them. We would much rather train afghani police and pay them to destroy the fields and each other than blame us for it.
These drones after so many years were unable to hit AlQaeda. All the leaders are unscathed: Osama, AlZawahiri, Haqqani, Hussein. They were US allied and were trained by The US and the Saudi, not by Pakistan.
Salerno you are talking bull crap and these guys will have their day of judgment . You also will have your day of judgment if you support these sadistic animals and not the world community which all civilized nations want justice done for their terrorist activities! God will have the final say so shut your ass up!
The real terrorists are the US and western countries, as 9/11 was a reaction after Clinton bombed Sudan and Afghanistan.
DAN remember your blind support to US killing in this region will surely invite the wrath of God and will punish you and USA for this inhuman bombing and killing of innocents. This will further add to hate against USA which will put Americans life at risk all over the world. All the killed one are local elders, had nothing with militants,rather they were against them and were supporting the Govt. Such gatherings against militants by the peace loving tribal in FATA had been the favorite target of militants therefore American attack on these innocents is in fact an indirect support to what the USA call Terrorists. No doubt so far hardly 2% of tribal are part of this evil game being played by the USA in this region but such inhuman attacks may compel the 98% neutral to reconsider their neutrality and fight back their killers. You can't imagine DAN how great damage such blunders are causing.
BANGASH, I am truly sorry for the predicament you are in, but if you support the government and believe that the Taliban and their terrorist allies are against the human rights of others and are just plain murderers and killers then you should do all you can to support your nation against those who want to rule by force and terror. It is these people who had declared war on us and now they cower behind the local population and the local population needs to stand up against these religious fanatics.
They cannot help untill the US will stop bombing.
salerno likes when US and civilized nations get destroyed but he wants all the rude Taliban and Al queda alive. you are worse than devil.
the anti American drum beaters are paid to post disinformation and lies as part of a paid propaganda ploy by guess who....and they think we take their nonsensical posts seriously.
I got no pay from anybody. Paid propaganda is done by US soldiers or by some of their Afghans dogs.
Here's one of them now!
We could probably add kashif_1, sam and maybe another. They do tend to come out of the woodwork doing their little dances while conveniently omitting salient facts about what they are whining and judging at the moment.
And it seems they never say anything positive about what their agenda is or what they are doing to promote it. Doesn't occur to any educated mind that if what you want to accomplish is truly of value, then gossip, backstabbing and generally malicious statements should not be necessary for your side to prevail.
well done Montezuma
I am not Pakistani neither Afghan, but agree with Sam and Kashif. US military is a terrorist gang, intentionally killing civilians in the hope they can fight the taliban. This is stupid , ignorant, and barbaric. This is why I always bash the military as the worst part of the US society.
if u.s. keeps killing innocents on their back side ..God forbidden ..there would be next Big Tsnammi on U.S ..which will level each drop of innocent blood u.s is spreading all around ..
Sure thing Kashif_1, maybe you should have thought of that when Pakistan decided to become a TERRORIST STATE. Who cares if 30, 50, 5000, or even 5,000,000 of you dogs in Pakistan die, you deserve it for speading the killing and the hate all over the world. I find it amazing when you start getting your anus' kicked you start crying like little PU**YS. The only Tsunami that will come will be those American Steel Dragons to feed on Pakistani Anus, Fool!!!! HOW DO YOU PAKISTANI LIKE YOUR JIHAD NOW???????
A bit over the top, but you have a point, however delicately you put it.
And you expect....what kind of reaction from us? BBBWWWWAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA......fool........
WOW, shes kind of cute. I could use one of these every other day for some fun. I am surprized that these cavebeasts have women this cute, these cuties deserve so much better than some sweating, stinking, 3rd grade level moron to reproduce with. This just shows who has the real balls and is the real threat, their women cause they are worthless COWARDS!!!!
Kashif-1 you must be from Pakistan, please you are beginning good anticipation then tell what was behind the Pakistan's earthquake which happened I think four years ago and killed many people,
God says Alhamudo lelahi Rabel Alamen it means god is the god of everyone all humanity and is very kind
We can argue and debate till we croak but in the final analysis this place is FUBAR. And likely to remain so.
All those who disagree with Taliban and terrorist activities should leave the tribal regions in northwestern Pakistan otherwise they are considered as sympathizers and collaborators and wish for their victory over western civilization and their deaths are not considered as collateral damage.
Wow you know everything about everything. You must be God. Please tell me exactly how to live my life while sitting in chicago.
Only terrorists are those who invade someone elses country based on manufactured evidence.
Tell me, why didnt you invade saudi arabia? Most hijackers were arab right? Why did you have to manufacture UBL, a fairy tale like those told in kindergarten and come to my country?
Because both of you are in bed. They give you oil, and you give them the means the suppress 27 million people.
Like I said, American freedom #1!
Oh and why does your govt fly heroin out of afghanistan in their planes? How is that fighting 'terrorism'?
Before 9/11 your ruling government harbored and allowed bin Laden and his terrorist organization to train and plot attacks against the west . After 9/11 we asked them to give him up, they did not and know they are considered as accomplices in the destruction and deaths of nearly 3000 people. And again stop your propaganda about the US drug trafficking!
I speak for all northern Pakistanis and Afghanis. Get out of our country. We really really dont want you here.
If you want to avenge 9-11 so bad why didnt you invade saudi arabia?
How do you feel about Taliban rule? Are you for it or against it?
Against, but im agaisnt american rule even more.
Normal pastuns see you people as a war mongering, rabid, animalistic race. Everywhere you go destruction, corruption and violence follows.
Most american soldiers blurt out 9-11 as the reason for this war. And when we tell them most of the hijackers were saudi. they have this dumb look on their face and suddenly start getting loud and ignorant and start talking about UBL. and get confused when we laugh and tell them that our elders clearly know, UBL is just as real as the tooth fairy.
Just like terrorism huh?
OK the US will leave, First why don't you pakis stop begging and collecting billions of dollars from USA. First stop that and then US will leave
Good post RK.
Good posts Dan in Chicago......
The Republican congress cuts funding for public radio, but can't shovel enough money at the bloody Pentagon. The rightwing is beyond corruption.
Guys....Raise the Name of God so all of us can have peace and no more wars.
Dindy: Agree; that would be smart. Hope the ugly taliban and alQeda (I don't care how to spell it) will be decimated.
You don't care how it's spelled or how many innocents are killed.
We know the spelling of Almighty God and that is enough!!! ...
Civilians should leave where Taliban gather for meetings or any other activities.
Your bloody arrogance is breathtaking. And I suppose you're against abortion because it's murder.
IT IS!
Fetus is not an individual, but a parasite, as the mother breaths for him.
You're right and then we ought to quadruple our drone attacks. Collateral damage is awful but unavoidable. What's most bohersome is that when we begin drawing down in July, it won't take the Taliban too much time to take over just like they were in power before October 2001. And is Karzai on the up and up? No way.
You are invaders, you have no right to tell us how to live our lives.
We dont want your brand of freedom, American Freedom! = spending trillions of dollars to destroy millions of lives.
Oh and please ask your hypocritical govt to stop fueling the heroin trade (that the Taliban all but stopped) and stop flying heroin all over the world in your planes.
Why don't you stop your propaganda and your terrorism?
You are so full of crap. The Taliban ending the drug trade is laughable. Explain the thousands of civilians that are threatened with their lives by the Taliban to grow poppy. Tough choice, grow poppy or die.