Officials: Suspected drone strike kills up to 30 in Pakistan

[Jmaxfie1]

Source: CNN

Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- A suspected U.S. drone strike killed up to 30 people Thursday after targeting a meeting of local elders in Pakistan's remote tribal areas, intelligence officials told CNN.

Two intelligence officials said the drone fired two missiles on the jirga meeting in the area of Data Khel of North Waziristan, one of the seven districts of Pakistan's volatile tribal region bordering Afghanistan.

One official said 30 died in the strike, while a second official said that 24 had died. There was no explanation for the discrepancy.

An additional 14 people were reported injured, including some civilians, the sources said.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/03/17/pakistan.drone.strike/

[LawnKorn]

1. It was a mistake to allow Bush to set the precedent of drone attacks

Bush started this use of drone robots killing people, and we allowed him to get away with it. This type of attack should have been stopped years ago before it became 'acceptable' to kill remotely. Now President Obama has turned a blind eye to the Pentagon continuing this despicable practice. Foreign governments will begin to violently object to this use of drone aircraft and our standing on the world stage is going to be beset with troubles.

[No Elephants]

5. Both governments and populaces.

However, I cannot blame Bush or the Pentagon while considering Obama a passive player in this. Bush has been out of the WH since January 2009 and Obama is very well aware of drone use, not merely turning a blind eye. Indeed, he got in a bit of p.r. trouble a while back, joking about using drones if anyone (Jonas Bros.) stepped out of line with his daughters.

[Vinee]

11. Do you know of a better way to blow people up?

[Wednesdays]

12. Hey, how about we stop blowing people up entirely?

:think:

[hack89]

13. Pakistan protests to a point

I think it is clear that they have no real problem with us killing militants in the Tribal Territories - after all, those groups conduct attacks in Pakistan as well. The Government, does however, have to make the appropriate amount of outraged noise for domestic political purposes.

Don't forget that as recently as last year the CIA was flying drones from Pakistani territory.

[ixion]

2. Oh yeah... killing off the tribal elders will certainly make things better...

uh, NOT.

[Robb]

4. Tribal elders loyal to Hafiz Gul Bahadar? Works for me. (nt)

[ixion]

6. Well, aren't you just the fashionable barbarian

:eyes:

I find it curious that the same people who claim to be 'fighting terror' (a tautological claim in and of itself) take such great glee in spreading it.

[Robb]

8. I look forward to your analysis of Bahadar's influence in Datta Khel.

Since you don't agree with targeting his supporters inside his compound, I'd assume you have a solution.

[ixion]

9. My solution is for us to pull out of the region

since our impact is far more destructive.

[Robb]

10. Could work.

I certainly wouldn't complain.

[placton]

3. damn drone MISSED the wedding tho!

[EJ24]

7. Disgusting

[RedCloud]

14. These fucking drones fly by my house all the time.

You almost can't see the wings.