US UAV shot down in Pakistan

[was]

the problem is that if the yankees want it back

 

[kingofdarkness77]

good that they know that not every thing is according to there will..................................

 

[HAIDER]

By Mushtaq Yusufzai

PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces and Wazir tribesmen Tuesday shot down a CIA-operated US Predator plane near Angoor Adda, in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) but AFP reported that the plane crashed.

Official and tribal sources informed this correspondent from Angoor Adda - a border town between Pakistan's South Waziristan and Afghanistan's Paktika province — that Pakistani security forces and armed Wazir tribespeople fired at the US spy plane and downed.

"Yes, the security forces and Wazir tribesmen fired at the plane and shot it down," said a security official based in the border town, but wished not to be named.The wreckage of the drone was reportedly lying scattered in a border village.

The official said the drone had been constantly flying over Pakistani border villages since Tuesday morning.Also, tribal sources from Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan, said they received reports from their fellow Wazir tribesmen living in the border town that a US plane had been shot down.

Security officials said four US drones were flying over various towns of South Waziristan inhabited by the Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen. However, despite several attempts by this scribe, Pakistan Army spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas did not attend telephone calls.

The US drones violated Pakistan's air space at the time when US President George W Bush was assuring his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari of respecting sovereignty of his country.The flights seemingly in search of yet another site for an attack across the border created panic among the already terrified tribesmen.

Official and tribal sources informed The News from Wana and Miramshah, the headquarters of South and North Waziristan tribal agencies, respectively, that the Predators intruded into Pakistani territory on Tuesday evening and continued flying over the border villages until one of the planes was downed.

The sources from Wana said four US drones came from Afghanistan and were seen flying over several border areas, including Wana, Birmal, Shakai and Toi Khula. The residents said the planes came early on Tuesday morning and after flying for a few hours disappeared at noon. However, four of them later reappeared in the evening and hovered over the Wazirs-inhabited areas of South Waziristan along the border with Afghanistan's troubled Paktika province and were still hovering over the region.

According to the residents of Wana, non-stop flights of US spy planes over the tribal region have terrified the tribesmen as these planes in the past had fired several Hellfire missiles resulting in the killing of dozens of people, majority of them innocent tribals, including women and children.

"The drones have been constantly flying over the villages located near the border with Afghanistan forcing majority of the residents on living outside their homes," Shakirullah, a resident of Dabkot village near Wana, said while talking to this scribe on telephone.

Meanwhile, tribesmen of adjoining North Waziristan Agency also claimed that two US drones had crossed into Pakistani territory on Tuesday morning and were continuously hovering over the area.

"The two planes are continuously flying over residential areas since Tuesday morning. At noon they briefly disappeared but re-appeared afternoon and are still flying over us," said Mohammad Javed, a resident of Danday Darpakhel village near Miramshah.

He said both the spy planes had been constantly flying over Danday Darpakhel village where a house and Madrassa of veteran Afghan Taliban commander Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani were attacked recently by two US drones killing 25 people, majority of them women and children belonging to Haqqani's family.

"Both the planes are flying at extremely low altitude frightening the villagers, especially the children," complained another villager Syed Halim. A security official based in Miramshah also confirmed the intrusion and said besides Danday Darpakhel, the drones were flying over other adjoining villages including Dattakhel, Spalga, Razmak and Mirali.
US drone ‘shot down’ in SWAT

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

We have been assuming these are American, but what of the chance that they are Pakistani?

 

[was]

time for reverse engineering. this is great. another gift from unlce sam

 

[was]

We have been assuming these are American, but what of the chance that they are Pakistani?

you are saying this beacause pentagon doesn,t confirm it ???
well they never confirmed even the fire on their choppers

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

you are saying this beacause pentagon doesn,t confirm it ???
well they never confirmed even the fire on their choppers

No, I am suggesting this because Pakistan flies drones in the area as well, and unless there were specific Pakistani markings on the drones, the Tribesmen would not necessarily know whose drone they shot down.

Though the suspicion still is US, since that particular site has been more of a concern for the US.

 

[IceCold]

So why exactly is pentagon denying it? They are still denying that their drone is being attacked or for that matter shot down.Strange.

 

[Awesome]

US denies drone crash in Pakistan - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)

They are denying the whole thing. Nothing happened.

If they are lying PA should confirm the incident. Even ISPR hasn't yet confirmed the incident.

 

[Comet]

It could have crashed ? There is no accurate missile / gun radar system with the tribals to bring a drone down so the probablity of mechanical fault cannot be ruled out.

Regards

Exactly my point. How can they hit the air craft. Usually these things fly too high. only if they are to hit something they lower their altitude

 

[ejaz007]

US drone ‘shot down’ in SWAT
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Four US Predators violated Pak airspace

By Mushtaq Yusufzai

PESHAWAR: Pakistani security forces and Wazir tribesmen Tuesday shot down a CIA-operated US Predator plane near Angoor Adda, in South Waziristan Agency (SWA) but AFP reported that the plane crashed.

Official and tribal sources informed this correspondent from Angoor Adda - a border town between Pakistan's South Waziristan and Afghanistan's Paktika province — that Pakistani security forces and armed Wazir tribespeople fired at the US spy plane and downed.

"Yes, the security forces and Wazir tribesmen fired at the plane and shot it down," said a security official based in the border town, but wished not to be named.The wreckage of the drone was reportedly lying scattered in a border village.

The official said the drone had been constantly flying over Pakistani border villages since Tuesday morning.Also, tribal sources from Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan, said they received reports from their fellow Wazir tribesmen living in the border town that a US plane had been shot down.

Security officials said four US drones were flying over various towns of South Waziristan inhabited by the Ahmadzai Wazir tribesmen. However, despite several attempts by this scribe, Pakistan Army spokesman Maj-Gen Athar Abbas did not attend telephone calls.

The US drones violated Pakistan's air space at the time when US President George W Bush was assuring his Pakistani counterpart Asif Ali Zardari of respecting sovereignty of his country.The flights seemingly in search of yet another site for an attack across the border created panic among the already terrified tribesmen.

Official and tribal sources informed The News from Wana and Miramshah, the headquarters of South and North Waziristan tribal agencies, respectively, that the Predators intruded into Pakistani territory on Tuesday evening and continued flying over the border villages until one of the planes was downed.

The sources from Wana said four US drones came from Afghanistan and were seen flying over several border areas, including Wana, Birmal, Shakai and Toi Khula. The residents said the planes came early on Tuesday morning and after flying for a few hours disappeared at noon. However, four of them later reappeared in the evening and hovered over the Wazirs-inhabited areas of South Waziristan along the border with Afghanistan's troubled Paktika province and were still hovering over the region.

According to the residents of Wana, non-stop flights of US spy planes over the tribal region have terrified the tribesmen as these planes in the past had fired several Hellfire missiles resulting in the killing of dozens of people, majority of them innocent tribals, including women and children.

"The drones have been constantly flying over the villages located near the border with Afghanistan forcing majority of the residents on living outside their homes," Shakirullah, a resident of Dabkot village near Wana, said while talking to this scribe on telephone.

Meanwhile, tribesmen of adjoining North Waziristan Agency also claimed that two US drones had crossed into Pakistani territory on Tuesday morning and were continuously hovering over the area.

"The two planes are continuously flying over residential areas since Tuesday morning. At noon they briefly disappeared but re-appeared afternoon and are still flying over us," said Mohammad Javed, a resident of Danday Darpakhel village near Miramshah.

He said both the spy planes had been constantly flying over Danday Darpakhel village where a house and Madrassa of veteran Afghan Taliban commander Maulvi Jalaluddin Haqqani were attacked recently by two US drones killing 25 people, majority of them women and children belonging to Haqqani's family.

"Both the planes are flying at extremely low altitude frightening the villagers, especially the children," complained another villager Syed Halim. A security official based in Miramshah also confirmed the intrusion and said besides Danday Darpakhel, the drones were flying over other adjoining villages including Dattakhel, Spalga, Razmak and Mirali.


US drone ‘shot down’ in SWAT

 

[muse]

Local tribes have shot down a U.S. drone here on Tuesday, according to Geo News

Shot down with what? If missiles, then ofcourse, it suggests the presence of some pretty nasty people - if anti-aircraft weapon,it again is matter of concern - who the heck has AA canons around?

 

[Awesome]

Shot down with what? If missiles, then ofcourse, it suggests the presence of some pretty nasty people - if anti-aircraft weapon,it again is matter of concern - who the heck has AA canons around?

They have SAMs. But most reports suggest that PA shot it down with support of the tribals.

They also have AAA. Remember Musharraf's plane was fired upon by an AAA?

 

[muse]

All the more ammunition for the necons - "here's proof that there are nasties there and we were justified in going in" --- "Pakistan not doing enough!, after all, what kinds of people have AAA in their backyard"

There is a review of US poliy in Afg underway, everyone should keep their powder dry till we learn more details - one proposal call them for staying 10-15 years, a document with me has a US general describing the conflict as "generational" --- Lets wait and see, provocations from either side can and will effect outcome of the review.

 

[batmannow]

Gates Is Pessimistic On Pakistani Support

By Ann Scott Tyson
Washington Post Staff Writer
Wednesday, September 24, 2008;

Pakistan's leaders and military cannot publicly support U.S. cross-border operations against militant groups in Pakistan's western tribal areas, but such strikes are needed to protect American troops in Afghanistan and defend the United States against its gravest terrorist threat, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said yesterday.
"We will do what is necessary to protect our troops," Gates told the Senate Armed Services Committee. Asked whether Pakistan's government would back unilateral U.S. military operations into Pakistan, he said: "I don't think they can do that."
Gates said that despite a growing insurgency in Afghanistan, fueled by fighters from Pakistan, the spring of 2009 is the earliest the Pentagon would be able to send as many as three more U.S. combat brigades there to meet a request of American commanders for about 10,000 more troops.

"I believe we will be able to meet that commanders' requirement, but in the spring and summer of 2009," Gates said.

Western Pakistan has surpassed Afghanistan and Iraq as the base for al-Qaeda and other Islamist extremist groups that now pose the biggest terrorist threat to the United States, Gates said. "If you ask me today, after the successes that we've had against al-Qaeda in Iraq, where the greatest threat to the homeland lies, I would tell you it's in western Pakistan," he said.

Moreover, fighters flowing across the border from Pakistan account for about 30 to 40 percent of the attacks in Afghanistan, Marine Gen. James E. Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the committee.


Gates said he hoped for greater cooperation with Pakistan's new government against militant groups that also are escalating attacks within Pakistan, such as the bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on Saturday that killed more than 50 people.

U.S. officials denied a report yesterday that Pakistani troops and tribesmen had shot down an American drone near the Afghan border.

Gates acknowledged that the United States and Pakistan have fundamental differences in how they define their foe. For example, he said, while Pakistani officials oppose the presence of al-Qaeda and other foreign fighters, they have had long-term relationships with insurgent groups founded by Taliban leaders Jalaluddin Haqqani and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, and "they don't, in many respects, see the Taliban as their enemy," he said.

"Frankly, I think one of the keys in terms of expanding our cooperation with the Pakistanis is identifying common threats," he said. "They do not see some of these groups in the same way we do."

Committee Chairman Sen. Carl M. Levin (D-Mich.) and ranking Republican Sen. John W. Warner (Va.) voiced concern over strains in U.S.-Pakistani relations as a result of the U.S. cross-border strikes. They noted that about 80 percent of the cargo and 40 percent of the fuel for U.S. troops in Afghanistan flow through Pakistan.

Concerned that those supply lines could be cut off, the Pentagon began this month testing alternative routes for getting materials into landlocked Afghanistan, Cartwright said.

Pressed by lawmakers to make Afghanistan a higher priority, Gates said that based on current demands in Iraq, "we do not have the forces to send three additional combat brigades to Afghanistan at this point" without extending war-zone tours for troops.

Moreover, Gates said, dispatching large numbers of American and other Western troops may not be the best answer to rising violence in Afghanistan, which "has never been hospitable to foreigners." An alternative would be to make expanding Afghan forces a higher priority, he said. The United States is supporting a plan to double the size of the Afghan army from about 60,000 to 120,000, with 12,000 more soldiers in training, over the next five years.

The size of the U.S. force in Afghanistan has increased from fewer than 21,000 troops two years ago to more than 31,000 today, but senior commanders there say their efforts remain hampered by a shortage of adequate ground forces, helicopters and other equipment.

Gates said he expected that as U.S. force levels increase, the contingent of 30,000 troops from NATO allies and other countries is unlikely to grow much.