Shamsi Airbase still in business

[kursed]

Despite the tensions, however, the Pakistani military still is allowing the CIA to fly its remotely piloted Predator drones out of Shamsi Air Base, about 200 miles southwest of the Baluchistan capital of Quetta, U.S. officials said.

Asked about a Pakistani newspaper report that the Pakistani army had halted the CIA's use of Shamsi, a U.S. counterterrorism official replied, "That would certainly be news to us."

"The Pakistanis should spend less time complaining to the press (about the drone strikes) and more time trying to root out terrorists within their country," said the U.S. counterterrorism official, who requested anonymity because the drone operations are classified.

Source: Miami Herald

 

[President Camacho]

Source: Miami Herald

Good you dug it out from somewhere, but for the value it carries, it appears under-reported.

 

[mehru]

Time will tell whether they have left the base or not. Let's wait for the confirmation. This report came on the same day when CNN reported about leaving the shamsi base. Which version is true?

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/04/22/pakistan.drone.strike/?hpt=T2

However, drone attacks have drastically reduced as ISI chief demanded from CIA in his visit. Let's see if that indeed is the case.

 

[Mujeeb47]

I'm satisfy from our armed forces and intelligence agencies.

 

[President Camacho]

Time will tell whether they have left the base or not. Let's wait for the confirmation. This report came on the same day when CNN reported about leaving the shamsi base. Which version is true?

Source: U.S. departs Pakistan base - CNN.com

However, drone attacks have drastically reduced as ISI chief demanded from CIA in his visit. Let's see if that indeed is the case.

Yea, I did read the conflicting reports. But when you sit back and analyze all of them, you realize all this is media fodder, nothing more.

http://www.defence.pk/forums/pakistans-war/106131-america-pressing-pakistan-long-wish-list.html

Excerpt:

The US wish-list also includes permission for NATO forces’ ground operations in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), drone strikes in Balochistan, military operation in Southern Punjab and visible elimination of Haqqanis and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT).

I am sure the drones will NOT be out of Shamsi Airbase unless the decision regarding drone strikes in Balochistan is finalized.

I think if the drones are really not in Shamsi Airbase, then the Army should invite people from the press and let them have a look. The controversy is becoming bigger and bigger by the day, such an act would only help. We all know how covert are the supports of the Army and the ISI to the drone strikes and all. Neither the US, nor the PA would want the matter to be talked much in the media. So amid all this speculation, our only way of finding the truth is to analyze the incidents and results.