Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

Society Pakistan & World Affairs
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By Jonathan S. Landay, McClatchy Newspapers Jonathan S. Landay, Mcclatchy Newspapers – Tue Apr 7, 8:21 pm ET

WASHINGTON — Even as the Obama administration launches new drone attacks into Pakistan’s remote tribal areas, concerns are growing among U.S. intelligence and military officials that the strikes are bolstering the Islamic insurgency by prompting Islamist radicals to disperse into the country’s heartland.
Al Qaida , Taliban and other militants who’ve been relocating to Pakistan’s overcrowded and impoverished cities may be harder to find and stop from staging terrorist attacks, the officials said.
Moreover, they said, the strikes by the missile-firing drones are a recruiting boon for extremists because of the unintended civilian casualties that have prompted widespread anger against the U.S.
“Putting these guys on the run forces a lot of good things to happen,” said a senior U.S. defense official who requested anonymity because the drone operations, run by the CIA and the Air Force , are top-secret. “It gives you more targeting opportunities. The downside is that you get a much more dispersed target set and they go to places where we are not operating.”
U.S. drone attacks “may have hurt more than they have helped,” said a U.S. military official who’s been deeply involved in counterterrorism operations. The official, who requested anonymity because he wasn’t authorized to speak publicly, called the drone operations a “recruiting windfall for the Pakistani Taliban.”
“A significant number of bad actors aren’t where they used to be,” but have moved to “places where we can’t get at them the way we could,” he added.
** As a result of the drone attacks, insurgent activities are “more dispersed in Pakistan and focusing on Pakistani targets,” said Christine Fair of the RAND Corp. , a policy institute that advises the Pentagon . “So we have shifted the costs.”**

I didn’t post the entire article because it’s lengthy. Visit link to read the rest
(http://news.yahoo.com/s/mcclatchy/20090408/wl_mcclatchy/3207691)

A very good question to raise and ask. Frankly, this should have been pondered on a long time ago because drone attacks are not proving feasible.

What’s your opinion?

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Re: Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

Finally they have start listening what we were telling them...

Timepass - February
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Re: Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

Hmmmm. kisi hud tak!

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Re: Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

I don't think drone attacks are effective or enough to deal with Taliban. We need more than just drone attacks.

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Re: Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

Seriously, If US and Allies want to win this war or at least they want a honorable exit!!! they have to give the control to Pakistani Army, they to equip the Pak-Army and let them take care of these taliban issues... anyway few thousands American and NATO forces cannot achieve what hundred thousand Soviet forces couldn't achieve with all the war- equipments (equivalent to us forces maybe) and logistical support 10 times better then US/NATO forces...

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You're forgetting the historical context of it. Back then it was cold war & Afghans won b/c of the American weapons, training (brainwashing) & support at cost of 2 million dead Afghans & millions more displaces & nation in rubles. That is not the case now. Bush was stupid & he invaded the wrong country. If he had focused on Afghanistan the war would've been over by now. What Americans, NATO & Pakistan needs to do is what Sri Lanka is doing to Tamail rebels. Crush them mercilessly.

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Re: Drone attacks! Eliminating Extremism or recruiting it?

^^ Bro
i may be missing some historical ref.

but u r missing the ground realities...

USSR had every thing which is needed to win a war.. yet they failed and their Union falled like house of cards... ever wonder y USSR a super power of the time, with all the logistic support and every thing failed|????

Have you ever wondered that even after 7/8years of invasion, US army is not capable of saying that they are even remotely near to victory??

Have you ever tried to work your brain to find out that Y with all the latest war-machinery US has not achieved what they were looking for??? why the US still admits that the 70% Afhghanistan is still under Taliban Control???

Now No one is openly supporting these Afghans.. no one is providing them or i may re-phrase no one have technology to match the guns of US/NATO forces..

If i agree that FEW officials and groups are supporting Taliban.. can you consider it equivalent to the support which US provided to Afghans against USSR???

don't believe every thing u see and hear.. use ur brain, and analyze the situation.. don't criticize for the sake of criticism... we need to provide and end to this situation.. as long as US-Army is there it is not going to solve anything...