Posted on 02/21/2011 12:35:58 PM PST by MissesBush
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan – An Iraqi al-Qaida operative was believed to be one of 15 militants killed in two U.S. missile strikes in Pakistan's tribal belt along the Afghan border Monday, Pakistani intelligence officials said.
The officials said the man, identified as Abu Zaid al-Iraqi, handled the terrorist group's finances in Pakistan. He was not known to be on any published U.S. lists of wanted al-Qaida leaders, and U.S. officials do not normally acknowledge the existence of the CIA-led missile program or talk about who is being killed.
The two strikes, coming roughly 24 hours apart, were the first since the arrest of a U.S. citizen who shot two Pakistanis in late January. There had been speculation that Washington had put a hold on the disputed tactic while it pressured Pakistan to release the American, saying he has diplomatic immunity and acted in self-defense.
In the first strike, which occurred overnight Monday, three missiles hit a house in the village of Kaza Panga in the Azam Warsak area of the South Waziristan tribal region, said two intelligence officials.
Al-Iraqi was believed to be one of several foreigners among the seven dead. He was described as being in his late 30s and going by the local name "Ali Khan." Al-Iraqi is believed to have shifted to South Waziristan in 2008 after time spent in Afghanistan.
The officials said they learned of his death through agents on the ground in South Waziristan, as well as sources in the Taliban. Nonetheless, independent confirmation of such deaths is nearly impossible because of the remote, dangerous nature of the areas involved. Rarely are bodies made available as proof.
Pakistan's tribal regions have long been key hideouts for Taliban and al-Qaida fighters, including many from other countries.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
Zot.
“a diplomatic row with Pakistan”
trying to get the CIA guy back?
When do drones start flying over Madison?
The best policy Obama has continued since Bush no question.
Tora Bora 2001.
They don't.
All of the drones in WI walk on two legs.
Pakis are pissed cuz b4 we pull the trigger often we don’t tell them or ask them.
And that’s cuz often the target is more or less THEIR GUY.
There was a big article about this, recently.
I knew it was bad, but I didn’t know it was THAT bad.
The regular meetings the CIA has been having with the ISI are also ALL CANCELED. That doesn’t mean they meet, and all present are less than forthcoming, no.
That means no one shows up, and the conferences just aren’t scheduled.
Was it the #3 guy again?
GMTA....
You can never defeat an insurgency which has a safe
refuge in a bordering country.
(We should have learned that from Vietnam.)
....and another one bites the dust......
A refreshing change of pace; we got the CPA. The #3 position is still unfilled.
The #3 position is always unfilled because it’s always the #3 guy that gets whacked in these raids. Being the #3 guy in Al Qaeda is the most dangerous job in the world.
On a positive note, the #3 guys are almost never called by life insurance salesmen.
ROFLMAO! I almost spewed my soda thru my nose onto the keyboard when I read that because I was thinking the exact same thing! LOL It truly sucks to be both the number three guy and the number four guy in AQ over there. The number three guys are getting killed with nauseating regularity which rolls the former number four guy into the number three position. At which time the clock on his life starts running down with the new number four guy sweating profusely as well.
Obama’s base deeply saddened. ...and probably a bit ticked off as well.
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