In events au courrant - Drones Gone Wild, Wackistan, Iraq, Syria, PACRIM Pivot and Thor - it's semi sorta easy to see why cause Great Satan kicks assets and takes namesThe killing of the leader of the Pakistani Taliban, Hakimullah Mehsud, a monstrous killer responsible, directly or indirectly, for the deaths of thousands of people, is vindication yet again of Washington's determination to press ahead with targeted drone strikes against key terrorists. Despite the mounting clamour against the tactic by groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, no tears should be shed for Hakimullah.
Nor should any credence be lent to the absurd posturing of the Pakistani cricketer turned politician Imran Khan, who in retaliation against the so-called "martyrdom" of the terrorist leader is threatening to use his control of the administration in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to block the vital land route serving coalition forces in Afghanistan.In the four years since he became leader -- following the death of Baitullah Mehsud in a drone attack -- Hakimullah showed himself a ruthless practitioner of the worst acts from the obscurantist Taliban, directing waves of suicide bombings that killed Pakistani men, women and children.
He masterminded the single deadliest attack on the CIA in 25 years, killing seven agents. He plotted to explode a bomb in Times Square.
Recently, however, he responded to overtures for peace talks from new Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
Three negotiators were due to leave for the tribal areas as Hakimullah was killed. Mr Sharif's government is now indignantly charging Washington killed Hakimullah to forestall the talks. Another theory is that Islamabad was complicit in the drone strike, despite protestations to the contrary.What is not in doubt is the efficacy of drone strikes. Human rights groups make expansive, mostly unsupported claims about collateral civilian damage.
So, too, do politicians like Imran Khan. Yet, according to US and Pakistani official figures, since 2009 the strikes have killed 2160 terrorists and just 67 civilians. On some estimates, the Taliban has killed as many as 40,000 people. The effect of this decapitation of the Taliban leadership remains to be seen; it is a hydra-headed monster that has recovered from similar setbacks.But the value of the drone strategy has been shown again.
Great Satan should ignore the clamour and stick with drone strikes.
Terrorists everywhere must never be left in doubt about just how vulnerable they are.
Pic - "Great Satan kills Taliban Peacemaker!"
