Today’s US drone strike in the South Waziristan Agency, the latest in an almost daily salvo of strikes this month, killed four people including, according to Pakistani officials, the “third-in-command” of al-Qaeda Shaikh al-Fateh.
If the story sounds familiar it is because the killing of al-Qaeda’s third-in-command has been a several time a year occurance during the global war on terror. As only the top two members of the organization are well known, the killings of the organization’s “number three” are regularly reported and spun as a major victory, though they never seem to change the situation on the ground.
Still, if it is confirmed that the person killed in the attack is an al-Qaeda leader, it couldn’t have come at a better time, as the previous 20 US attacks in the month of September had failed to kill anybody who was a confirmed militant, killing dozens of civilians and scores of “suspects.”
It may also serve to distract attention from the US incursion into Pakistani territory over the weekend and the killing of at least 60 “suspects” with attack helicopters. The identities of those killed in the attack remain to be revealed.
ZZZZZZZZZZzz, there is no Al Qaeda.
Jason,
I am an admirer of your work. In this story, however, I think it would be better to put more specific numbers on drone victims than "dozens" of civilians and "scores" of suspects. I think it is somewhat disrespectful to speak of human lives in this way, it is lazy, and it also gives the impression that the reporter, probably unwittingly, subtly undervalues the worth of Muslim lives (dehumanizes) in Pakistan compared to lives of Americans. To try to elucidate this last point, imagine how it would sound to you if media in the United States described the American victims of bombs and warfare in terms of "dozens" or "scores" dead. I think it would strike us all as strange to hear the dead of September 11 described as such, or even the U.S. dead from violence abroad. "Dozens" and "scores" are not usually used to describe dead human beings; dead animals, yes, and inanimate things also.
Muslims
Hi Jason. Please post my first message.
How do al-Qaeda or the Taliban get anything done? They are obviously made up of vast committees in which everyone is either a 'senior Taliban' or 'al-Qaeda No3' …I've participated in a few of those top heavy 'partnerships' /'collaborations' – no decisions are made & nothing ever gets done- says alot though that 'we' haven't managed to beat them in 9 years.
No body knows who is killed and who not. Americans have proved to be kileers and killers of innocent Pakistanis as well as killers in the friendly nations like Afghanistan,s Taleban. These Talebans were trained financed by america and helper were Pakistan and america has raped pakistan brutally and blood is flowing in the streets for what? only friendship.
Even Saddam was CIA agents and best friend fought for america against Iran and ultimately was killed as was not ready to follow the dictations.
All these things have qualified america for a biggest desaster to come in which form I don,t know but will come and will sweep america in the gaveyard. This is history that upto cetain extent God tolerate but in the en wil be destroyed.
If the government knew the "leader's" location, they could have sent in the Seals. More likely the "leader" was some villager, his wife and babies as usual in this war of atrocities.
Janine "nothing ever gets done- says alot though that 'we' haven't managed to beat them in 9 years."
Because if we did then they'd have to make up a whole new bunch of bad guys to justify the never ending war.
There is no way this can be confirmed and it is probably just more BS to continue Drone murders.
Proof?
The American/Saudi/Pakistani supported Mujahadeen had SAMs that turned the tide.
What's wrong with this picture?
My take is that you Americans have already been taken over by the financial,corporate( altho
the US "makes" precious little other than weapons/delivery sys) and Christian military…
your AF comes to mind.
Explore and you'll find the def of Fascism.
Ye fellers could be/are on the road to a global Hitlerian "state".
As J.B. sed: "How you like me so far?"