Visiting Pakistan today and faced with criticism of the ongoing drone strikes against the nation’s tribal areas, Secretary of State John Kerry expressed hope that the US attacks would end “very, very soon.”
US drones have been a driving force in Pakistani politics, with this year’s election focusing heavily on the Zardari government’s inability to get the US to stop attacking. Prime Minister Sharif has promised to end the strikes, but so far they have only been slowed down somewhat.
Kerry’s comments were well short of a real promise, saying only that he “thinks the president has a very real timeline,” and that he is probably close to achieving his military goals in the strikes, and would presumably end them then.
US-Pakistan relations have dramatically worsened over the past two years, mostly because of US drone strikes. How long the rapprochement can last unless the drone halt is a real thing remains to be seen.
…the obvious solution is allowing Pakistan to park a drone equipped military base in Virginia. …then ask 'em what they're complaining about.
Although US government in regard to its drone killing never respected the international law, nor in any of its created wars like Iraq, the drone illegality operations is the key word here, yet saving innocent life's always a good idea, but the people need to se it to believe the Obama government that he means what his saying. Thus far he have used the word "hope" to many times which has no real meaning but to hope for.
Kerry knew he still had to get out of Pakistan.
Drones have killed thousands of civilians. When the relatives of these civilians cannot find justice, they join Taliban. So in a way America is creating terrorism through these drones. Imran Khan has been very vocal again drones. i believe Kerry made up his mind after the meeting with Imran.
Unfortunately, Kerry seems to have just wanted to talk nice to his Pakistani hosts. The State Department 'clarified' afterwards in a statement that said "today, the secretary referenced the changes that we expect to take place in that program over the course of time, but there is no exact timeline to provide." It certainly looks like drone attacks are fuelling terrorism. The Pakistan Taliban have cited drone strikes as the reason for various recent terrorist attacks, including the murder of 10 foreign climbers and a Pakistani man at the base camp of Nanga Parbat at the end of June – see http://www.himalayamasala.com/himalaya-blog/massa…