« New Facts On Farris Hassan | Main | National Rally Against Islamo-Fascism Day »
January 18, 2006
About That Predator Attack In Pakistan - The Victims Weren't 'Just Civilians' On Their Way To Dinner
Topics: War on TerrorCaptain Ed at Captain's Quarters posts today on the story about the Pakistanis now conceding that despite initial denials, the airstrike on the house in Damadola from unmanned CIA drones killed a number of Al-Qaeda terrorists. Although they at first insisted that the dead were only local civilians, yesterday changed their claim.
The bodies of the "foreigners", as the Pakistanis call AQ terrorists, got pulled out and transported away quickly by others of their party to escape identification, the Pakistani government now says. That indicates two very clear results from this raid:As Captain Ed points out, the only reason to take five bodies out of the wreckage before they bugged out is that the identities of those five bodies would make a difference to the efforts of al-Qaeda. Otherwise, why bother with the high risk of remaining in a targeted zone to retrieve dead bodies and transport them out of Damadola while leaving other bodies behind?1. Its success; the intel proved correct even if Zawahiri failed to show for the dinner.
2. The high level of the people who were killed.
Could Zawahiri have been hit?
One thing seems certain - the strike killed al Qaeda's master bomb maker and chemical weapons expert Midhat Mursi, 52, also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, and that alone makes the strike worth while.
And for what it's worth, US intelligence appears to be getting closer to top Al Qaeda leaders. Intelligence is getting better, and so is the level of cooperation and coordination between the U.S. and Pakistan.
In this latest strike, Pakistani officials said the strike was in response to intelligence that up to a dozen Al Qaeda associates had been invited to a dinner at the village, possibly including Zawahiri. The site, which had been reliably reported to have been visited in the past by Zawahiri, was probably under remote surveillance for at least three days before the attack.
Related: Abu Khabab al-Masri: A Master of Terror
Posted by Richard at January 18, 2006 8:01 PM
Articles Related to War on Terror:
- "The Saudis' Secret Agenda" - May 03, 2008
- State Department And Homeland Security Choose To Fly Blind In The War On Terror - Apr 30, 2008
- Bush Erupts Against Attention-deficit Media - Explains 'Winning Doesn't Mean War Is Over' (Must See Video) - Apr 29, 2008
- Request For Contributions Of Mohammad Caricatures - Apr 23, 2008
- Al-Sadr's Familiy Turns On Him - Disowns "Rogue Son" - Apr 23, 2008
- Md. Man Who Sent Threatening Letters to Bush Sentenced to 15 Years: So What Should 'Little Bush Hater' Get For YouTube Video? - Apr 22, 2008
- Carter Again Proves He's The Useful Idiot Of Terrorists - Apr 21, 2008
- The World According To Jimmy Carter - Apr 14, 2008
- (Video) Hamas MP: Islam Will Conquer Europe and the Two Americas - Apr 14, 2008
- Top Al Qaeda Leader Abu Ubaida al-Masri Confirmed Dead in Pakistan - Apr 09, 2008
