Topic: Drone Attacks

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In Pictures: War by remote control
The top 5 militant leaders still hiding in Pakistan

Osama bin Laden was not the only Al Qaeda leader hiding in Pakistan. The US believes there are others, including people on its list of Most Wanted Terrorists.
Europe on alert: fall 2010 terror plots

Al Qaeda-linked terror threats in Europe this fall put intelligence and security forces, as well as the public, on edge. Most recently, Germany ramped up its security in anticipation of a possible attack. Below, an overview of those threats and incidents:
Five noteworthy aspects of Britain's tough spending plan

Britain announced budget cuts Wednesday that are part of a five-year austerity plan and the largest public spending reductions since World War II. Cuts will average 19 percent for most departments, but welfare benefits take a strong hit and some departments' budgets will be trimmed by as much as 23 percent.
5 key players in Pakistan's tribal belt

Pakistan’s security forces have conducted military operations in many of the tribal regions bordering Afghanistan, except North Waziristan, causing the area to become something of a haven for militants.
Tribal and local intelligence sources say some 15,000 militants take shelter in this semiautonomous tribal belt.
“It’s a cobweb,” says former Pakistani diplomat Ayaz Wazir.
Based on interviews with local tribesmen and intelligence sources, here’s a list of the five biggest players in the region:

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Terrorism & Security
Pakistan to US: Respect our decision to sentence CIA informant

After a Pakistani doctor was sentenced to 33 years in prison on treason charges for helping the CIA find Osama bin Laden, the US protested, saying he was acting against Al Qaeda, not Pakistan.   
Terrorism & Security
US drone strike in Pakistan highlights divergent interests of US, Pakistan

An end to the US drone campaign has been a key demand of Pakistan in exchange for reopening NATO supply routes, highlighting the differences the US and Pakistan have to overcome.
Terrorism & Security
Yemen vows to defy Al Qaeda's intimidation campaign

As Yemen celebrated a national holiday with a parade in Sanaa today, President Hadi said that recent attacks, including a bombing yesterday that killed more than 90 people, would not derail his government's campaign against terrorism.
Pakistan's price: US to pay $365 million more a year to reopen supply lines

A US-Pakistan deal to reopen a key NATO supply route through Pakistan, closed for nearly six months, would raise the cost of the war effort in Afghanistan by about $365 million annually.
US sends troops to Yemen as Al Qaeda gains ground

Civil unrest in Yemen has enabled Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, which perpetrated the foiled underwear bomb plot, to expand its reach. US troops are arriving to train Yemeni soldiers.
After underwear plot, Saudi officials cite headway against AQAP

Saudi officials refused to discuss their involvement in disrupting the latest underwear bomb plot from Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP), but say they are making gains against the group.
'Undetectable' bomb reveals how Al Qaeda threat to US is evolving (+video)

The foiled plot to plant another 'underwear bomb' on a US airliner shows that as the core of Al Qaeda declines, affiliates like Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula are taking the lead.
The day President Obama said: 'Go get bin Laden'

During his presidency, Barack Obama has undertaken a string of military operations, topped by the raid that killed Osama bin Laden hiding in Pakistan. One expert calls Obama 'one of the most militarily aggressive American leaders in decades.'
Iran's cyber prowess: Could it really have cracked drone codes?

Iran claims it hacked into the data banks of a captured CIA stealth drone. US officials dismiss it as 'bluster,' but aviation and cyber experts say it's possible.
What does Pakistan want from US? An apology, more money, no drones

Pakistan's lawmakers passed a resolution trying to reframe the country's relationship with the US. Whether it gets implemented is another matter.
Drone pilots: Why war is also hard for remote soldiers

Drone pilots are far from the battlefield, but they show some of the same signs of stress as do soldiers fighting on the ground. Now a movement in the military is afoot to assist these techno-warriors.
Terrorism & Security
US drone strikes in Pakistan on rise again

A US drone killed three suspected militants in Pakistan's northwest tribal region, including the de facto leader of Al Qaeda, in the second such attack in as many days.
Terrorism & Security
Obama admits 'worst-kept secret': US flies drones over Pakistan

For the first time, President Obama publicly acknowledged US drone attacks in Pakistan, which could allow Washington to better explain its strategy to Pakistani critics.
US drone strikes again. Is Pakistan's military angling for a favor?

Outwardly, US-Pakistan relations still look tense. But with Tuesday's US drone strike into Pakistan, ending a hiatus of nearly two months, some experts see some resumed cooperation – and say Pakistan's military may have good reason.
Terrorism & Security
US ends longest lull in drone strikes over Pakistan. Why now?

The two-month freeze in US drone strikes in Pakistan, the longest in three years, was intended to allow time for US-Pakistan relations to heal after a mistaken US strike on Pakistani soldiers.
Did Iran hijack the 'beast'? US experts cautious about bold claims. (Video)

To hijack the lost US drone, Iran would have to have overcome major technical hurdles. None are impossible, but US experts question Iran's capabilities in such high-end cyberwarfare.
Does defense bill's anti-terror provision deprive Americans of key rights?

The defense bill has cleared the Senate, and President Obama has withdrawn his veto threat, but concerns linger for some over whether a counterterrorism rider to the bill could deprive Americans of due process rights.
Exclusive: Iran hijacked US drone, says Iranian engineer (Video)

In an exclusive interview, an engineer working to unlock the secrets of the captured RQ-170 Sentinel says they exploited a known vulnerability and tricked the US drone into landing in Iran.
Iran to US: We won't return the 'beast' drone

A top Iranian general said Iran won't return the high-tech US surveillance drone and warned of a 'bigger' response.
How valuable is downed US drone to Iran?

US officials privately confirm that a super-secret RQ-170 drone has fallen into Iran's hands. Now they want to know what brought it down and how valuable is the loss.
US considered missions to destroy RQ-170 Sentinel drone lost in Iran

The RQ-170 Sentinel drone lost over Iran is one of America's most valuable intelligence assets. It's unclear what brought it down - hostile fire or malfunction. Iran claims to have shot it down but has provided no photographs.
How often do US military drones 'disappear'?

The US military acknowledged that one of its unmanned aerial vehicles had gone missing over western Afghanistan last week. With no pilot in the cockpit, drones can be tricky to fly.
Terrorism & Security
NATO strike on Pakistan military 'couldn't come at a worse time'

US officials are scrambling to avoid a further breakdown in US-Pakistan relations after a mistaken NATO strike killed 24 Pakistani soldiers.
NYC police arrest 'lone wolf' in terror bomb plot

New York City police have taken a man into custody in association with an alleged bomb plot where US soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan were targeted.
Why can't Pakistan clear its terrorist safe havens? Envoy explains. (video)

The US and Pakistan are stuck in an unsatisfactory arrangement where neither side gets what it wants, the envoy says: no Pakistani crackdown on North Waziristan, and ongoing US drone strikes.