Huge! This is the biggest of all U.S. airstrikes inside of Pakistan because this one WAS COORDINATED with Pakistani intelligence! I just can't explain, at least in my eyes, how significant this attack was in that just after America's top military leader visited Pakistani government officials in Pakistan, this strike is performed after the Pakistanis shared intel with the Americans. I don't want to bubble over with excitement here but if this cooperation continues, we could seriously look at an attack a day on the strongholds and training camps of the Taliban and al Qaeda inside of Pakistan. This would simply change the entire complexion of the War in Afghanistan. This could very well mean the end of the Taliban.
Here's some of the details of the airstrike from The Long War Journal:
This all shows the leverage that America can use with this fledgling Pakistani government - the Pakistanis issued the order to fire on U.S. incursions but that was more than likely just a signal to American military that they wanted some face to face. Which is what they got.
The implications of this are enormous in that we could finally see the Taliban sandwiched between Pakistani forces inside of Pakistan and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and no matter which side of that border the Taliban run and hide, they will be vulnerable to these air strikes and the whole time, the two armies can continue to squeeze tighter and tighter and tighter.
Five Taliban are searching the fires of Hell for some nude virgins right now and hopefully, we can see that number increase by 100 fold by the end of next week. It will be very interesting to see if there is another air strike in the next day or two.
Here's some of the details of the airstrike from The Long War Journal:
The target of the strike was a Taliban camp, according to reports. "There are a few militant training camps in the area and no civilian population around the site of strikes," an official told Geo TV. Five Taliban fighters were killed and a weapons storage site was destroyed in the attack, Reuters reported.
The strike was the "result of US and Pakistani intelligence sharing," a senior Pakistani official told Reuters. "It shows improving intelligence coordination on the ground."
The report of coordinated action occurs as Pakistan's president, prime minister, and other senior politicians and senior military leaders said Pakistan would not tolerate violations of Pakistan's borders. Yesterday, the chief spokesman for the military said the military had orders to "open fire" on US forces attempting to cross the border.
This all shows the leverage that America can use with this fledgling Pakistani government - the Pakistanis issued the order to fire on U.S. incursions but that was more than likely just a signal to American military that they wanted some face to face. Which is what they got.
The implications of this are enormous in that we could finally see the Taliban sandwiched between Pakistani forces inside of Pakistan and NATO forces in Afghanistan, and no matter which side of that border the Taliban run and hide, they will be vulnerable to these air strikes and the whole time, the two armies can continue to squeeze tighter and tighter and tighter.
Five Taliban are searching the fires of Hell for some nude virgins right now and hopefully, we can see that number increase by 100 fold by the end of next week. It will be very interesting to see if there is another air strike in the next day or two.
US strikes Taliban camp in South Waziristan
The US has conducted another cross-border airstrike inside Pakistan's tribal areas. The attack occurred in South Waziristan just as a senior US military commander completed a visit to Pakistan and urged the government to reform Pakistan's intelligence agency.
The attack occurred in the Baghar Cheena region of the South Waziristan tribal agency, anonymous Pakistani intelligence sources told Geo TV. This is the same area where the US has conducted several strikes during this past week. At least four missiles were fired from unmanned Predator aircraft. The US military has not commented on the latest strike, but rarely admit to conducting cross-border attacks.
The target of the strike was a Taliban camp, according to reports. "There are a few militant training camps in the area and no civilian population around the site of strikes," an official told Geo TV. Five Taliban fighters were killed and a weapons storage site was destroyed in the attack, Reuters reported.
The strike was the "result of US and Pakistani intelligence sharing," a senior Pakistani official told Reuters. "It shows improving intelligence coordination on the ground."
The report of coordinated action occurs as Pakistan's president, prime minister, and other senior politicians and senior military leaders said Pakistan would not tolerate violations of Pakistan's borders. Yesterday, the chief spokesman for the military said the military had orders to "open fire" on US forces attempting to cross the border.
Today's strike follows an unannounced visit to Pakistan by Admiral Michael Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Mullen met with Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and General Ashfaq Pervez Kiyani, Pakistan's Army Chief of Staff to discuss the situation in Pakistan's tribal areas and assured them the US respects Pakistan's sovereignty.
The US has also ratcheted up pressure on the Inter-Services Intelligence, or ISI, Pakistan's primary military intelligence agency. Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher upbraided the ISI for having direct links to and aiding the Taliban and al Qaeda. Mullen urged the government to reform the ISI and purge the agency of extremist supporters.
The US has stepped up attack in Pakistan's tribal areas this year after the Taliban and al Qaeda consolidated control in the tribal regions and settled districts of the Northwest Frontier Province. There have been nine recorded cross-border strikes since Aug. 31. There have been 17 recorded cross-border attacks in Pakistan in 2008, compared to 10 strikes during 2006 and 2007 combined.
Three senior al Qaeda leaders have been killed in the attacks. The Haqqani Network, the powerful al Qaeda and Taliban-linked group run by Jalaluddin and Siraj Haqqani has been heavily targeted as well.
The Taliban, al Qaeda, and allied terrorist groups have established 157 training camps and more than 400 support locations in the tribal areas and the Northwest Frontier Province, US intelligence officials have told The Long War Journal.
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