US drones killed 123 civilians, three al-Qaeda men in January

[Truth2Tell]

Source: The News (Pakistan)

Monday, February 01, 2010
By Amir Mir

LAHORE: Afghanistan-based US predators carried out a record number of 12 deadly missile strikes in the tribal areas of Pakistan in January 2010, of which 10 went wrong and failed to hit their targets, killing 123 innocent Pakistanis. The remaining two successful drone strikes killed three al-Qaeda leaders, wanted by the Americans.

The rapid increase in the US drone attacks in the Pakistani tribal areas bordering Afghanistan can be gauged from the fact that only two such strikes were carried out in January 2009, which killed 36 people. The highest number of drone attacks carried out in a single month in 2009 was six, which were conducted in December last year. But the dawn of the New Year has already seen a dozen such attacks.

-snip

According to the data compiled by the interior ministry, the first US drone strike was conducted on January 1 which struck a vehicle near Ghundikala village in North Waziristan and killed four people. The second attack came on January 3, targeting the Mosakki village in North Waziristan, killing five people. Two separate missile strikes carried out on January 6 killed 35 people in Sanzalai village of North Waziristan. The fifth predator attack was carried out on January 8 in the Tappi village of North Waziristan, killing five people. The sixth attack on January 9 in Ismail Khan village of North Waziristan killed four people, including two al-Qaeda leaders. Mahmoud Mehdi Zeidan, the bodyguard for al-Qaeda leader Sayeed al-Masri, and Jamal Saeed Abdul Rahim, who had been involved in hijacking of Pan Am Flight 73 in 1986, were reportedly killed in this missile strike.

The seventh US attack on January 14 in the Pasalkot village of North Waziristan killed 15 people, amidst rumours Hakimullah Mehsud could be among the dead.

Read more: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=221847

[Mari333]

1. we are asswipes.

knr

[tekisui]

2. Killing hearts and minds.

[thunder rising]

3. Why not just pick a village and wipe it out? We can't do worse on the statistics.

[LaPera]

4. Killing cilivians, instead of helping to build schools & hopitals & they wonder why they hate us

it's also much cheaper to help build homes, churches, schools hospitals in these countries than it is to send in armies to force a way of life, kill women & children...BUT THEN THE CORPORATIONS WON'T MAKE AS MUCH PROFIT AS THEY DO BY KEEPING THE KILLING & WARS GOING....Corporate profit, people killed and purposely no money left for health care in our country...that's the republican way!

[Robb]

5. Now THERE's an unimpeachable news source. nt

[LaPera]

7. Yes indeed, that certainly is the issue - This has never happened before

Not with "smart bombs" & "smart bullets" and "smart contractors" that only kill "terrorist" never anyone else nor destroy property.

[Truth2Tell]

8. The News is the #1 English language

paper in Pakistan. It has close ties to the Government and is generally pretty pro-American.

The real source here is the Pakistani Interior Ministry, and of course we should take their claims with a grain of salt. They are ostensibly on our side, and are the ones carrying out the mop-up operations behind these drone strikes, such as they are, as we don't have ground forces in the tribal areas. So theoretically they would have some of the best data. But of course everyone in the Pakistani security apparatus isn't exactly pleased with our drone activity, so take the report for what it's worth. Just like any news source.

[Pavulon]

6. Wow, I would thing those numbers would be ts sci but hey

I guess they just took a guess. There are a few there that have no confirmation of who were killed. Cant all be weddings.

[Truth2Tell]

9. k