CIA Drones  Damaging Pentagon Interests

By Lt Col Zaheerul Hassan (R)

The FBI defines international terrorism as the unlawful use of force or violence committed by a group or individual, who has some connection to a foreign power or whose activities transcend national boundaries, against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government, the civilian population or any segment there of in furtherance  of political or social objective. William Blum truly writes further in his book “Rougue State” that the FBI definition although meant to describe acts directed against the United States, would seem to cover rather well countless acts of the US Government itself. American government is carrying out bombing intervention, tortures, chemical and biological warfare in number of globes. Similar nature of acts against civilian of Pakistan is being carried out since 2004 by CIA drones. According to some of the Western media reports pentagon and CIA has clash over the Afghan Issue. CIA seems to be running its own state within the state.  CIA independent actions in the shape of employment of black water, drone attacks and carrying out sabotaging activities in collaboration with  Israeli and Indian intelligence agencies are damaging pentagon interest in the global war on terror and becoming the sole cause of creating  hate in Muslim community against America.

Recently, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani and Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have strongly condemned the CIA drone attack in Datta Khel, North Waziristan Agency on March17, 2011.  Prime Minister stated that it will only strengthen the radical and extremist elements and reiterated that such an irrational behaviour negatively impact the efforts to separate the militants from peaceful and patriotic tribesmen of the areas. PM and Governor further expressed their sympathies with the bereaved families and assured that all possible security measures would be taken to protect the people of the region. In this attack 41 innocent persons have been killed and several injured.  In this regard credible sources disclosed that CIA launched the said drone attack without taking Pentagon into confidence and that too was in the resentment of the arrest and later on release of her station chief Raymond Davis.

In this connection, Pakistan Army Chief of Staff General, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani too declared this strike “unjustified and intolerable” and said it was a violation of human rights. The General categorically said Pakistan army will protect her nation with full strength and any such attempt of violation in future will be dealt severely. General Kayani asked the local commander to provide all out assistance to the victims of Drone attacks. He further expressed that security forces are there only to deal with the militants and respect the peaceful and patriotic tribal.  He very rightly said that such type of attacks will going to damage the global war on terror efforts.

Foreign office also summoned American ambassador and registered Pakistan’s strong protest against drone strike of March 17, on a tribal gathering at Datta Khel. Pakistan also declined to attend the forth coming talks on Afghan Issues.  Civilian causalities of as result of CIA drone strikes always remained questionable and source of friction between the Pakistani and U.S. it is mentionable here that from 2004 - 2011 CIA has carried out 234 drone strikes. Out of revealed strikes 118 were in last year and 21drone attacks have been launched just only in the last three months. According to the reports over 2200 individuals have been killed which include innocent persons apart from militants.

The US unmanned aircraft operation always caused widespread anti-American sentiments, which are running particularly high after the release of a CIA Spy Raymond Davis. It is known fact that troika of intelligence agencies (CIA, RAW and Mossad) is carrying out some joint operations in Pakistan, Iran and China, which resulted into some unpleasant situation in ISI and CIA.  Now, it is an open secret that CIA does provide tacit support to Balochistan Independence movement. According to Wikileaks, Americans are interested to increase their influence in Gawadar and other part of the Balochistan. According to regional think tanks, damaging China-Pakistan joint venture of development of Gawader port is one of the main US interest in Balochistan. The rebels of Balochistan are being tacitly support by India, Afghanistan and US. Some Baloch leaders have prepared a proper plan of sabotaging the law and order situation throughout Balochistan. They are also determined to cause unrest in other big cities of the country too. The rebels’ leaders are in the opinion that now it’s the time to cash and exploit US interest in Balochistan. CIA has also provided the forum to the Baloch leaders in the shape of churches in US for the independence of Balochistan. In this connection proper prayers have been organized for the Baloch movement.  The Baloch rebels’ plan will be discussed separately in an article shortly by me.

 Coming back to the topic, I would like to mention here that arrest of Raymond Davis provided a chance to ISI to unveil CIA and RAW nefarious design in Pakistan and other Arab States.  There are reports that troika is cooperating with each other against Arab States, China, Pakistan and Iran. It also attempted to create unrest in Arab States; Saudi Arabia, UAE, Syria and Libya. Therefore, ISI and National Intelligence Agency (NIA) of China probably are showing more harmony as compared to the past for countering joint operation of troika in the region. In this connection KGB might also be thinking to extend her hand to China’s intelligence agency for neutralizing CIA, which will finally off set the US interest in the region. In this case Pentagon interest of GWOT will also be jeopardized. Moreover, if CIA does not stop drone attacks and other anti Pakistan campaign then there are likely chances that Islamabad  government which is already under criticism because of Raymond Davis case will be forced to  revise her policy in relation to GWOT.  Thus, it’s better for Washington to control CIA operating against the frontline ally of GWOT.

The writer is a defence analyst and can be approached through zameer36@gmail.com