White House expands CIA drone attack program in Pakistan

While attention this week has focused on President Obama’s plan to increase troops in Afghanistan, another military operation that the government says is key to success in the region continues. That's the controversial use of drone attacks in Pakistan.

The New York Times reports that the White House has authorized an expansion of the Central Intelligence Agency’s drone program in Pakistan. The program started during the Bush administration and has continued after Obama took over the presidency. It uses unmanned aircrafts, often controlled by pilots stationed in the US, to locate and kill targets.  The Times quotes an anonymous government official who says that about 80 missile attacks from drones in less than two years have killed more than 400 militants. But human rights groups have criticized the practice. According to the BBC, hundreds of civilians have been killed in the attacks in the past few years. And the use of drones has been highly controversial within Pakistan.

Dr Saeeda Iqbal is a senator with the Pakistan People's Party. She says, the news that drones will continue to be used by the US has tapped into a broader fear that Pakistan could soon see an escalation of the conflict. FSRN spoke to her earlier today via cell phone.

"People have a fear, people have a fear that Pakistan is going to be next. First it was Iraq, then it was Afghanistan and now it's going to be Pakistan."

This week, Pakistan's prime minister announced that Osama Bin Laden was not in the country. This came in response to UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown's calls for the country to do more to find bin Laden. But Senator Iqbal says that she would like to see the US contribute more in the next phase of the effort.

"Pakistan is bearing the burden and Pakistan is being told to do more, but in fact it is the Americans and our friends in Europe and the rest of the world who should do more for Pakistan."

Iqbal says she is not against the use of the drone technology, but would like to see the Pakistani military take a larger role in the strategy in order to reduce civilian casualties.

In November, an investigation by The Nation Magazine found that the private contracting firm Xe Services, formerly known as Blackwater, continues to play a role in the drone bombing in Pakistan by gathering intelligence and directing the bombing targets.