Drone strike kills al Qaeda leader, giving Obama another battlefield victory

[babylonsister]

Does anyone know if this has been confirmed? Missed the news this weekend...

Drone strike kills al Qaeda leader, giving Obama another battlefield victory
By John T. Bennett - 06/04/11 02:38 PM ET


Reports surfaced Saturday that U.S. forces killed a senior al Qaeda commander, handing President Obama another battlefield victory ahead of a major strategy review.

Ilyas Kashmiri -- considered as on the short list to replace Osama bin Laden -- was taken out by a U.S. missile launched from an unmanned aircraft, the Associated Press reported, citing al Qaeda and Pakistani officials.

U.S. officials have yet to confirm whether the drone strike did indeed kill Kashmiri. But, if true, it would hand the extremist group yet another blow after bin Laden was slain by a U.S. special forces team last month.

It would also allow President Obama to place another al Qaeda scalp on his belt.

more...

http://thehill.com/news-by-subject/defense-homeland-security/164763-drone-strike-kills-al-qaeda-leader-giving-obama-another-battlefield-victory

[tekisui]

1. It appears this strike, too, was done without Pakistan participation.

It was wholly a US operation and another embarrassment for Pakistan.

[jenmito]

2. Wrong:

The purported death of Ilyas Kashmiri -- who also was accused of killing many Pakistanis -- could help soothe US-Pakistan ties that nearly unraveled after the May 2 bin Laden raid. While it was unclear how Kashmiri was tracked, his name was on a list of militants that both countries recently agreed to jointly target as part of measures to restore trust, officials have said.

http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/articles/2011/06/04/police_pakistan_security_forces_kill_26_militants/

[tekisui]

3. That says nothing to whether Pakistan was involved in the action.

Only that they had jointly put him on a list, and it doesn't say when that list was drafted.

Here:

"It could also be seen as an embarrassment for Pakistanis, who have twice in just over one month, had a major al Qaeda figure killed on their territory without their participation," it commented.

US drones now operate entirely autonomously in Pakistan, a Pakistani intelligence source was quoted as saying. Previously, the United States cooperated with Pakistan and used their intelligence, today, the Americans have an intelligence network that allows them to go after terrorists unilaterally, it said.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/site/story/ilyas-kashmiris-killing-by-us-drone-another-embarrassment-for-pak-report/1/140487.html

[DCBob]

5. From what I have read about this I suspect the Paks are very happy to see this madman gone..

regardless or whether they were involved or informed or whatever.

[tekisui]

15. I agree.

[jenmito]

8. Then why it "could help soothe US-Pakistan ties..."? It has been reported in the media since he was

killed that Pakistanis DID help in finding him, as my article stated. The Pakistanis would be angry if we did this WITHOUT their consent/help.

[tekisui]

16. Some are angry. Ultimately they are happy this one is gone.

[tekisui]

30. Read this:

U.S. drones now operate entirely autonomously in Pakistan, a Pakistani intelligence source has told CNN. Whereas before the United States cooperated with Pakistan and used their intelligence, today, the Americans have an intelligence network that allows them to go after terrorists unilaterally.

http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/06/06/pakistan.jihadist.killed/index.html

[mkultra]

32. fine with me

The have playing us for some time now.

[tekisui]

41. They?

[craigmatic]

4. Wow we're dropping them life flies. It leads me to believe that we really don't need to

stay in Afganistan much longer because we're doing this with missiles and small groups of highly trained people. We need to pull out.

[davidpdx]

21. Picking them off like flies is more like it

But I agree with you.

[msongs]

6. Are all those dead women and kids considered victories in drone wars too? nt

[ClarkUSA]

7. I don't really give a shit.

[Name removed]

11. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[awoke_in_2003]

22. of course you don't. nt

[Name removed]

23. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

25. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ima_sinnic]

34. wow

that's some heavy heart and soul right there.
where's your humanity?

[Blue_In_AK]

38. That's a disgraceful comment.

Would you give a shit if it was your kids?

[proud2BlibKansan]

49. Wow.

How sad to read such a hateful comment here.

[great white snark]

9. They should be mourned not fodder for haters.

[young but wise]

10. +1000

It's really sickening.

[tekisui]

24. Despite what 'should be', the killing of innocent civilians only serves

to radicalize their families and neighbors. Blowback and revenge ensure endless wars.

[mkultra]

33. Ilyas Kashmiri kills women and children.

Do you consider those deaths to be victories? How about the future lives saved?

[ClarkUSA]

45. +1000

[cherokeeprogressive]

12. Wow. What happened to the cynicism that surfaced every time Bush claimed a "senior leader"

of Al Queda?

I bet I can find about a thousand posts about No. 2's that were supposedly killed by Bush's War Machine.

Now that the machine is piloted by "Our Guy" though, comes the death of that cynicism.

Strange, that.

[ClarkUSA]

13. Breaking News: President Obama is not Bush.

Furthermore, OBL is fish food, thanks to President Obama.

Note that neither the US government nor the Pakistani government has confirmed the death of Ilyas Kashmiri but as soon as Al-Qaida issues a statement, it should become clear whether or not he's dead.

[cherokeeprogressive]

14. Yeah, I'm still going hmmm at the lack of cynicism. How many "senior leaders" can there be?

Apparently, a limitless supply.

Obama might not be bush, but it's the same military leaders and intel people claiming to be killing "top" AQ leaders that it was then. And then, we (as a general rule) were completely cynical. The only thing that has changed is the guy piloting the War Machine.

Just sayin'.

[ClarkUSA]

19. Why should I be cynical?

The Obama administration's low-key approach to announcing their successful killing off of Al-Qaida leadership is well-documented. They have killed more Al-Qaeda leaders in the past two years than BushCo did in eight years. There is ample evidence for their success. Yet unlike BushCo, the Obama administration have not lied about a single success; in fact, they rarely even talk about their successes, much less beat their chests about them.

I'm not a paranoid whacko who clings to baseless conspiracy theories or sees a BushCo lie behind every success by President Obama. As I recall, there was similar bullshit "cynicism" expressed after President Obama announced the death of OBL. An announcement by Al-Qaeda that vowed revenge ended that stupidity by President Obama's myriad political rainbow of opponents.

<< it's the same military leaders and intel people claiming to be killing "top" AQ leaders that it was then >>

Prove it. Give me the BushCo-era names of the "same military leaders and intel people" who are now claiming Kashmiri has been killed. Quote a credible source or two, cherokeeprogressive.

[jenmito]

28. How 'bout an article about his stature in al Qaeda from BEFORE he was killed?:

A Pakistani former commando who has been linked to multiple terror plots — including a series of planned “Mumbai style” attacks in European cities last summer — has emerged as a possible successor to Osama bin Laden as leader of al-Qaida, according to U.S. officials.

Although Ilyas Kashmiri is barely known to the American public, U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies have increasingly focused on him in recent years. The CIA has targeted him in drone attacks in northwest Pakistan and federal prosecutors have indicted him in a major terrorism case involving a Chicago businessman who goes on trial next week.

An elusive figure who often wears heavily tinted aviator glasses, Kashmiri remains at large and active in plotting new attacks against the West, U.S. officials say. It was Kashmiri who, according to U.S. officials, was the key figure behind a suspected plot for multiple attacks in European cities, patterned after the 2008 Mumbai terror strike, which led to a widely publicized State Department travel advisory in October.

While Ayman al-Zawahri remains the “presumed” successor to bin Laden, the longtime al-Qaida deputy is deeply unpopular in some circles and his elevation is by no means guaranteed, a senior U.S. official told reporters this weekend. If al-Zawahri doesn’t make it, Kashmiri may emerge as the dark horse in the ensuing power struggle, the official told NBC on Monday.

“His star has been on the rise for the last several years,” said the official. “He would have to be on the al-Qaida short list.”

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42965337/ns/world_news-death_of_bin_laden/t/elusive-ex-commando-replace-bin-laden/

[Fuddnik]

40. Glad you pointed that out.

I was getting confused.

[babylonsister]

18. HUH? This guy apparently was going to replace OBL. That's a big

deal probably, and this admin has not been touting their 'successes' as the previous one did. You need to try harder. :eyes:

[scheming daemons]

42. Because THIS President got *THE* senior leader last month...

....gives him the credibility.

[krispos42]

17. The average service live of Al Qaeda's #2 seems to be decreasing n/t

[jenmito]

20. He was most likely going to be the new #1 to replace bin Laden. n/t

[Ikonoklast]

26. They advertise for new #2's on Craigslist now.

Great pay, paid travel, three weeks paid vacation in the first year, see exotic locales; sorry, no retirement plan to speak of, but we do pay for funerals.

Immediate openings, rapid advancement.

[ClarkUSA]

29. lol

"We have chosen you to replace OBL as head of Al-Qaida worldwide."

"No, no, I must refuse the honor. There are many, including you, who are much better at holy jihad than I am."

"Oh, you're too modest, I insist you replace OBL. I am nothing compared to your brilliance!"

And so it now goes.

[bornskeptic]

35. Those were allegedly #2 in Al Qaeda in Iraq, not in Al Qaeda.

Ayman al Zawahiri was always considerd #2 in Al Qaeda while bin Laden was alive.

[Tarheel_Dem]

27. K & R

:kick:

[bvar22]

31. The problem is...

..our Hostile Occupation of two Muslim countries, and our expanded bombing campaigns into several others
CREATES more "terrorists" than it kills.

[Raster]

36. And this simple fact negates any number of "scalps" President Obama could add to his belt.

[ima_sinnic]

37. that's the key

to never-ending war.

It's a win-win for the war profiteers and the politicians who make it all possible.
For those of us paying for it, not so much, and not so much for the innocents killed.

[Kaleva]

44. Does it?

The reports I've read, dated 2007, state that Al Quida has returned to pre-9/11 strength. Reports published in 2010 suggest no increase in terrorist strength since 2007.

[KoKo]

39. Would you CHEER...if this was BUSH/CHENEY/RUMSFELD?

:shrug: "Battlefield Victory?" You were here on DU when this trumped up invasion of Iraq occurred..then Afghanistan which is a fiasco...now Libya and on to Syria, Lebanon and Iran.

Are you calling for WWIII in the Middle East? What wing of the Democratic Party do you get your War/Blood Instincts from?

I think I know...but, I'd like for you to at least be clear about your positions since you've been on this board through the whole Bush years..

Were you ALWAYS for WWIII in the Middle East? Then you should have loved Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld...but in the early days I never really saw you as promoting that. I may have been at fault for not reading you closely enough, though.

[golfguru]

43. If killing leaders will bring an end to war, Osama Bin Laden is dead

and killed. He was the TOP leader of Al Qaeda. End of war must be near, right?

People who believe that have no first hand understanding of Jihadism. For every leader killed, 100 more always join for the cause. The Afghan war is now longer than Viet-Nam war, WW II, Korean War, Iraq War, and all others. There will never be a "win" in Afghanistan by droning the leaders. The sooner this country comes to that realization, the better off we will all be by ending the spilling of blood & treasure.

[Kaleva]

46. The Indian Wars lasted longer.

Afghanistan is a nation whose borders were drawn up by foreign powers and is peopled by various tribes and nationalities who have been fighting each other for centuries. Ethnicity is of much more import in Afghanistan then religious fervor.

[golfguru]

47. The last time I checked, Taliban is based on religious fervor

those people hide behind their guns and Koran.
Taliban was the ruling regime before they were driven out of Afghanistan.
Al Qaeda also uses Islam as the main rallying point.

And you are absolutely correct that Afghanistan is a conglomeration of various tribes.

[Kaleva]

48. Taliban control of Afghanistan was shaky at best.

One reason they were driven from power and into the hills so quickly when the US invaded was that many tribes joined the Americans in fighting the Taliban.