85 drones for Pakistan

[Islaw Khan]

A local English TV channel Express on Friday quoted unidentified U.S. military officials as saying that Pakistan will be given 85 small drones to fight the militants in the country's northwest tribal areas.
The news came shortly after the U.S. army chief Mike Mullen paid a visit to Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen arrived in Islamabad from Afghanistan for talks with the Pakistani military and political officials.
During his stay, Mike Mullen met with his Pakistani counterpart Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne and other top Pakistani military officials including the Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Kayani.
The two sides mainly discussed the security issues, particularly the anti-terror war issues, as well as the ways to ease the current tension between the two allies, which resulted from a massive strike by U.S. drones on March 17th, that mistakenly killed over 40 civilians in Pakistan's northwest tribal area.
Pakistan's Army Chief Kayani openly condemned the March 17th U. S.drone strike against innocent civilians and was quoted as saying during Mike Mullen's visit in Pakistan that the U.S. drone strike has affected the anti-terror war between the two countries.
The Pakistani side, while turning a half-open half-closed eye on the U.S. drone strikes in its territory, has long demanded the U.S.side to provide it with the drone technologies, but the U.S. side has turned a deaf ear to such requests from Pakistan.
The unconfirmed agreement by the U.S. side to provide Pakistan with 85 small drones could be a comprise made by the U.S. army chief Mike Mullen during his visit in Pakistan in order to win the support and cooperation from Pakistan, especially from its army, in the fight in the neighboring country of Afghanistan.
The militants hiding in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas often launch attacks at the US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan across the border, posing a serious headache for the NATO troops there

[candidguy]

Drone attacks facts and figures.

Total attacks on Pakistan as of march 2011=216
casualties

militants=19665
civilians=9308
Pakistan security personnel=3294
total=32266

collateral damage=36%

ref:

[candidguy]

i'm not sure about %age collateral damage,for this article shows 98% i.e; 50 civilians are killed for 1 militant.

ref:
the last line
PressTV - Pakistan pres. urges US to stop drone attacks

[UltimateCSP]

i think it has exagarated the number. According to statistical data... Total number of drone attacks is 234. Expected minimum number of casualties is 1439 and maximum is 2290...

Originally Posted by Ultimate CSP

i think it has exagarated the number. According to statistical data... Total number of drone attacks is 234. Expected minimum number of casualties is 1439 and maximum is 2290...

reference: Drone attacks in Pakistan - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Waqar Abro]

Originally Posted by islah_G

A local English TV channel Express on Friday quoted unidentified U.S. military officials as saying that Pakistan will be given 85 small drones to fight the militants in the country's northwest tribal areas.
The news came shortly after the U.S. army chief Mike Mullen paid a visit to Pakistan.
On Wednesday, the Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Mike Mullen arrived in Islamabad from Afghanistan for talks with the Pakistani military and political officials.
During his stay, Mike Mullen met with his Pakistani counterpart Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Khalid Shameem Wynne and other top Pakistani military officials including the Chief of Army Staff General Pervez Kayani.
The two sides mainly discussed the security issues, particularly the anti-terror war issues, as well as the ways to ease the current tension between the two allies, which resulted from a massive strike by U.S. drones on March 17th, that mistakenly killed over 40 civilians in Pakistan's northwest tribal area.
Pakistan's Army Chief Kayani openly condemned the March 17th U. S.drone strike against innocent civilians and was quoted as saying during Mike Mullen's visit in Pakistan that the U.S. drone strike has affected the anti-terror war between the two countries.
The Pakistani side, while turning a half-open half-closed eye on the U.S. drone strikes in its territory, has long demanded the U.S.side to provide it with the drone technologies, but the U.S. side has turned a deaf ear to such requests from Pakistan.
The unconfirmed agreement by the U.S. side to provide Pakistan with 85 small drones could be a comprise made by the U.S. army chief Mike Mullen during his visit in Pakistan in order to win the support and cooperation from Pakistan, especially from its army, in the fight in the neighboring country of Afghanistan.
The militants hiding in Pakistan's northwest tribal areas often launch attacks at the US-led NATO troops in Afghanistan across the border, posing a serious headache for the NATO troops there

After receiving these drones will our country be turned into prosperity or devastation?
Will Talibanisation comes to end or in vengeance other people will be accomplices of Talibans?
Despite having arms in huge quantity,are we strong enough to solve kashmir or our internal disputes?
48% people of Pakistan do not know how to write and read,are in dire need of education,do we pay attention to this serious menace or to remain busy in the war which has nothing to do with country?
Brain drain is engulfing,foreign direct investment decreasing,and unemployment augmenting in this country,should we buy drones or pay heed over country's serious menaces that are mentioned above?
By the way,Why are we always given used stuff? Why are we not given technology by USA?

[Ahmed_2007_Cool]

The Pakistani army will still not target its strategic assets (Haqqani and Hekmatyaar) in North Waziristan so the sale of these drones is purely symbolic.

By the way, is anyone aware of the fact that from 2002 until today, the ISPR or the Pakistani media have reported virtually no cases of civilian casualties during the Pakistani army operations? Amazing, isn't it? And the ISPR and the so-called free Pakistani media very quickly highlight the civilian losses during those drone strikes.

I have heard the interviews of many IDPs and I've met many of them here myself. They tell us that the Pakistani army and the US attacks have destroyed markets, homes, streets and entire villages. There is almost no family or clan in Swat or Waziristan that hasn't had its innocents bombed (accidentally or deliberately) but that hasn't been reported anywhere. I guess national interest comes before the basic human rights of minorities, especially if they have no stake in the media.