Further ruffling the feathers of our putative Friend and Ally. “Suspected U.S. missile hits Pakistan,” by Alamgir Bitani for Reuters, November 7 :
PESHAWAR, Pakistan (Reuters) — Suspected U.S. drones fired missiles into a Pakistan border region on Friday killing 13 militants, including five foreigners, officials said, the latest in a series of strikes that has infuriated Pakistan.
There have been nearly 20 attacks by suspected missile-firing pilotless U.S. drones since the beginning of September, but Friday’s is the first since Tuesday’s U.S. presidential election.
Pakistan objects to the strikes as not only a violation of its sovereignty but counter-productive to its efforts against militants behind surging violence in Pakistan and Afghanistan.
A senior government official in the region, Latif-ur-Rehman, told Reuters the missiles hit a militant compound in the Kamsham area of North Waziristan.
“It was an accurate strike and the compound has been destroyed,” said Rehman.
At least 13 militants were killed, another senior government official and an intelligence agency official said.
“It’s remote so information is coming slowly but we can confirm that four missiles killed eight Pakistani Taliban and five guests,” said the intelligence official, referring to five foreign militants.
There was no information about the nationality of any of those killed but North Waziristan is known as a sanctuary for Taliban and al Qaeda militants….
Pakistan hopes the new U.S. administration will be more sensitive to its concerns, although President-elect Barack Obama made comments in his campaign suggesting he would take a hawkish approach toward the border area militants….