US Drone Strikes Increase on Pakistan Border, ABC News, 28 September 2010

EXCERPT: "Deadly U.S. drone strikes have targeted the mountainous area on Pakistan's border with Afghanistan, an area where militants from the shadowy Haqqani network have been staging attacks on U.S. forces at an alarming rate. [...] In January, there were 12 drone strikes, and in August, four. Now, drone strikes have spiked to at least 20 in September so far. ABC News has counted at least 70 U.S. drone strikes in North and South Waziristan so far this year, counting multiple strikes on a single target as one strike. Targets consist of compounds and vehicles. Officials tell ABC News that a threefold increase in special operations raids, resulting in a 'treasure trove' of intelligence, has helped make the drone strikes possible.  The commander of U.S. and coalition forces in Afghanistan recently said there has been remarkably strong evidence leading to Pakistan's tribal areas."

Read the full story.

Related articles:
Why drones are overrated [OpEd], Council on Foreign Relations, 29 September 2010
Drones as occupational hazard [blog], The New York Times // At War, 28 September 2010
Flashcard: Predator drone strikes [blog], The Atlantic, 9 September 2010
, The Associated Press, 3 September 2010

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Unlawful killing with combat drones: A case study of Pakistan, 2004-2009, 18 March 2010