Posted on 06/10/2008 1:26:18 PM PDT by Ernest_at_the_Beach
As I noted in the earlier post below, al-Qaeda has been retreating from a range of defeats in Iraq, Lebanon (and I forgot to mention Afghanistan which is over 75% pacified) and is being surrounded by allied forces. This has allowed allied forces to use intelligence to take out 3 key leaders in surgical strikes within Pakistans FATA region, with the permission of the Pakistan government.
Well today it seems we targeted another AQ Leader in the area:
A pilotless U.S. drone was suspected to have fired a missile into a Pakistani area on the Afghan border on Tuesday, but there was no word on the target or casualties, a government official said.
The missile was thought to have been fired into the Mohmand ethnic Pashtun tribal area in northwest Pakistan where this year, U.S.-controlled Predator aircraft have struck at least four sites used by al Qaeda operatives, killing dozens of suspected militants.
There was an attack by a spy plane close to the Afghan border but we dont have information about casualties or damage, said the government official based in the region. He declined to be identified.
Mohmand has not been a hotbed of support for al Qaeda and the Taliban but militants are known to operate there.
Emphasis mine. The perfect place for AQ leaders to hide out is outside area known to be rampant with extremists. But the telltale security forces around these leaders would be a sign that militants might be operating in the area. Only time will tell which, if any, leader we took out today. As usual, fingers crossed its one of the top two masterminds of 9-11. More here.
Update: I have posts from months past on the agreement between the US and Pakistan for targeted air strikes (see here and here for some examples). In addition I noted there were plans for increased CIA presence in Pakistan. These hints are being confirmed in the Iranian press - which tells me there is more going on behind the scenes than meets the public eye:
The Pakistani President had permitted the CIA to establish a base in northern Pakistan to launch strikes on the militants, an analyst says.
On Jan 9, 2008, Mike McConnell, director of national intelligence, and Gen. Michael Hayden, director of CIA, visited Islamabad where they discussed a plan to make operational a secret CIA base that could mount attacks on militants by drones armed with missiles, Ahmed Rashid wrote in his book Descent into Chaos.
The base was located in the restive Federally Administered Tribal Area (FATA) along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, a region considered a safe haven for Taliban and al-Qaeda cadres, The News Tuesday reported, quoting from the book.
Pervez Musharraf, the book says, accepted help from the US Special Forces to train and mentor Pakistani counterterrorism units.
The fact is these secret arrangements represent the latest, hidden actions to decapitate al-Qaeda. We have two very courageous and determined leaders to thank for this, leaders who have been unfairly maligned in the media because these actions remain classified to maximize their results.
Update: Reader Kathie notes a detail in the second Reuters link above I missed:
The missile was thought to have been fired into the Mohmand ethnic Pashtun tribal area in northwest Pakistan where this year, U.S.-controlled Predator aircraft have struck at least four sites used by al Qaeda operatives, killing dozens of suspected militants.
Woohoo! Justice is being served in Pakistan today.
No names as yet!
Hell yeah!
Oh goody!
I hope it’s OBL.
Isn’t there a successor to the Predator called The Reaper? Cool name.
I’ve noticed we kill off the #2 man in alquaida about as often as liberals say we hit peak oil. I hope this doesn’t mean I have to listen to some moonbat whine about oil tomorrow.
The #2 man in al-Qaeda is roughly the equivalent to the drummer for Spinal Tap.
Thanks Ernest.
Keep your heads down you sons of goats Jihadists, the Reaper is waiting for you whenever you come out of your holes.
Heh - those al-quaeda militants seem to have the lifespan of a mayfly.
4. Mohmand Agency: The agency takes its name from the Mohmand tribe who resides there and numbers about 350,000. Mohmands are a very powerful and influential tribe and are known as natural guerrilla fighters. One of the important themes among Mohmands is the description and details of the wars in which they have fought. Indeed, they are widely known to have given more trouble to the British than any other tribe. Another distinguishing mark is the importance that they give to their clerics and divine leadersthey fought most of their wars under the leadership of their mullahs. They are also known for practicing certain primitive customs. In reference to the political scenario, Mohmand tribal leaders challenged the idea of joint combing of the area by Pakistani and U.S. forces in 2003, and later the NWFP government (led by the MMA) came forward to support the stance of the Mohmand tribe (Asia Times, July 15, 2003). Despite that, Pakistani army units conducted various search operations in the area and tribal leaders decided not to opt for a head on collision with them. It is pertinent to mention, however, that al-Zawahiri is reportedly married to a woman from the Mohmand tribe who lives with her father in the border area between Bajaur and Mohmand agencies (Dawn, January 15).
They fear the Predators and the newer, more heavily armed Reapers.
But...mind you, Obama says we are less safe because Bush took the war to them. Seems like they are getting the job done...there in Afghanistan and in Iraq.
Fan of the Blue Oyster Cult?
HA!
This is what I was talking about on a thread a few days ago. We need to keep the pressure on heavy this summer and keep the Hellfire raining from the sky. AQ and Taliban are getting the message “You get on that Sat phone-you DIE”
These guys talk all that glorious shahid nonsense but in reality they are scared out of their minds.
And with it getting hotter they aren’t going to be staying in the caves all day long either.
They’re gonna have to get out and about....
Media Report: “Osama Bin Laden Hiding In Area Along Pakistan’s Borders”
http://www.rttnews.com/Content/GeneralNews.aspx?Node=B1&Id=616241
“Despite official efforts to spotlight improvement, the spring offensive thus far is worse than last years spring offensive. The security situation has deteriorated again.
At no prior time has the Taliban managed to stage attacks in over 100 of the 398 districts. The previous highs were 86 in April 2008 and 83 in May 2007. Fighting has been heavy in Garmser District in Helmand Province but it has been significantly higher in Zormat District in Paktia Province; Andar District in Ghazni Province and Asadabad District in Konar, all across from the tribal areas of northern and central Pakistan. If Taliban fighters are heading to Pakistan, they are going back to base to rest and to get more ammunition and supplies.
Now, it is notable that the worst fighting has actually not been in the south, but in Paktya, Ghazni, and Kunar,
Cdr. Dwyers base was rocked, every minute or so all day, by the terrifying shock of its line of 155-mm howitzers firing their village-destroying shells over the hills and into the Korengal Valley.”
http://www.registan.net/index.php/2008/06/04/fundamentals-relatively-measuring-success/
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.