The Pakistani government has repeatedly reiterated its position that the US must stop all drone strikes inside the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Despite this, the US drones continue to fly out of Pakistani air bases to launch those attacks.
This has raised questions about how serious Pakistan is about the demands, particularly given the Zardari government’s long history of angry denials of their past support for the drone program. But the US has ruled out ending the strikes, and even if Pakistan forces the US to stop using its airbases, the drones likely won’t be going anywhere.
In comments given at an IISS conference, Col. Dean Bushey, the deputy director of the Army’s drone center, insisted US drones could still easily reach the FATA even if they took off from occupied Afghanistan. Since the US is openly talking about keeping bases in Afghanistan forever, this could mean FATA would be under target essentially forever as well.
Of course this is all purely speculative: Pakistan has so far not asked the US to stop using its air fields. This more than anything else seems to give some support to the claims by US officials that despite the Zardari government’s recent rhetorical change, behind the scenes everything is business as usual.
And what difference would that make? More or less dead women and children?
Yea I also think Zadari is just mugging for the cameras. After the Raymond Davis fiasco he has to appear to take a position against the drone murders or face an agry and outraged Pakistani public. Caught between his imperial overlords the CIA and the Pakistani public he has to pretend to get tough on the Americans but its just a show.
You'll know the Pakistanis are serious when Pakistani Air Force jets start shooting down US drones. Till then, it's all Kabuki.
Those drones have killed some of the biggest jihadis on the planet. Pakistan knows the whereabouts of these criminals but refuses to take action, Pakistan is only serious when it comes to Anti-State taliban elements but not the ones who fight for them.
Take the example of the Haqqani group, Pakistan openly supports them. I think the drone is a blessing and the civilian casulities are a over-estimated number and made up by opponents and pro jihadi elements in pakistan
I am from Waziristan.
"I am from Waziristan."
Is that what y'all are calling Langley these days?
Unless you or one of your family happens to be one of the civilian casualties. We are all remarkably generous with other people's lives.
Only a matter of time when our overlords decide that launching drones over US is a means to end the "drug war" along the Mexican border. Just wait and see… it's going to happen.
I am truly grateful for all the effort the US put into stopping the Taliban airforce bombarding mainland US, and the Afghan navy from blockading US ports.
If Pakistan denies the use of its air space to the Americans and they continue using it, isn't this a casus belli?
It would be for a regular nation but not for the U.S.
Everywhere you look people and governments alike demanding for US and EU militarism regime out of their country.., people not only they have no use for US and EU militarism regimes but they are losing their lives for nothing. This is one more reason for US and EU pushing for wars and continues wars with no ends on sight. The US and EU militarism regimes are stocked in Middle East and Central Asia.., It is the result of a falsified democracy that doesn’t work.., for them they need to use this falsified terminology to get where they want.., creating another war to protect their masters.., the Kingdome Tyrants family in Middle East and Goldman Sachs at home.