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Pentagon chief Panetta defends Pakistan drone strikes
US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta has backed the use of drones to target militants in Pakistan, two days after a missile strike reportedly killed al-Qaeda leader Abu Yahya al-Libi.
Mr Panetta said the US had made it "very clear that we are going to continue to defend ourselves".
He made the comments while attending a conference in neighbouring India.
On Tuesday, Pakistan summoned the US deputy ambassador to reiterate its "serious concern" about drone strikes.
There have been eight US drone strikes in the past two weeks despite Islamabad's demands for them to be stopped.
Pakistan says the drone attacks fuel anti-US sentiment and claim civilian casualties along with militants. The US insists the strikes are effective.
Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-18343142
If Panetta is going to defend the drone strikes I wonder if he's also willing to defend the countless violations of Pakistan's sovereignty, the slaughtering of countless civilians, slaughtering people based on suspicion and no trial, the destruction of civilians's homes, and the ever-increasing anti-US sentiment that could possibly motivate more people to seek retaliation by engaging in terrorism?
