The attack followed the statement in Congress on Friday by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Democrat of California and the head of the Senate Intelligence Committee, that the pilotless aircraft take off from a base inside Pakistan.Link
“As I understand, these are flown out of a Pakistani base,” Ms. Feinstein said during a hearing attended by the director of U.S. national intelligence, Admiral Dennis C. Blair. In his testimony, Admiral Blair said that the drone attacks had achieved their goal. “Al Qaeda today is less capable and effective than it was a year ago,” he said.
The drone attacks, especially in the last six months, have increased anti-American sentiment in Pakistan to very high levels. Ms. Feinstein’s acknowledgment that the flights have the tacit support of the Pakistani government is likely to further inflame the protests over the flights. Her statement was prominently covered the Pakistani press Saturday morning.
Damn!
1 comment:
Congresscritters are not generally very bright, except when it comes to political opportunity. I'm hoping it was part of a deliberate leak for the purpose of putting Pakistan in the headlights, hopefully coordinated with appropriate Administration personnel.
I suspect, however, that it was just an incredibly stupid gaffe, trying to prove how good her personal intel-gathering connections are. "You can't hide nothing from me, I'm a Senatator of the Hugh Nighted Stets!"
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