W O R L D

US ‘tightens’ drone rules
Washington, November 4
In secret concessions to Pakistan, the US has tightened rules on drone strikes inside the country, apparently making them more selective as part of efforts to shore up its fragile relationship with Islamabad.

Iran raises volume of anti-US rhetoric
Tehran, November 4
Iran marked the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US embassy today with burning flags and chants of “Death to America”, escalating its anti-US rhetoric ahead of the release of a pivotal UN report on its nuclear programme.


A protester burns a photo of US President Barack Obama during an anti-US gathering in front of the former US embassy in Tehran on Friday. — Reuters

US ‘tightens’ drone rules
To intimate Pak in advance to minimise diplomatic blowback

Washington, November 4
In secret concessions to Pakistan, the US has tightened rules on drone strikes inside the country, apparently making them more selective as part of efforts to shore up its fragile relationship with Islamabad.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has changed the rules on drone attacks, giving the State Department greater sway in strike decisions and intimating Pakistan in advance about more operations, Wall Street Journal reported quoting officials.

The changes in the pattern of drone strikes, which have killed hundreds of militants, including top commanders, were undertaken after a high-level review, which strongly backed the drone programme, but raised the bar on operations to minimise diplomatic blowback.

The concessions by the CIA, the paper said, came after military and diplomatic officials complained that large strikes were damaging the already fragile relations with Pakistan.

The change in engagement rules includes suspending strikes when Pakistani officials visiting the US. “The bar has been raised. Inside the CIA, there is recognition you need to be damn sure it’s worth it,” a senior official said, adding that the review had ultimately affirmed support for the CIA programme.

The paper said there was a measure of discord among administration officials on the interpretations of the outcome of the White House review. “While some said that the CIA would weigh diplomacy more heavily in its activities, other said the impact was minimum and would remain as aggressive as ever,” the paper said.

The US drone strikes in Pakistan are currently at their peak with the programme including 14 drone “orbits”. Each “orbit” usually includes three drones, sufficient to provide constant surveillance over tribal area of Pakistan.

The CIA’s fleet of drones includes Predators and larger Reapers. The drones, carrying Hellfire missiles and sometimes bigger bombs, can soar to altitude of 50,000 feet and reach cruise speed of up to 230 miles per hour.

The American drones over the past decades have become a key element of US national-security policy. The drone campaign has killed more than 1,500 suspected militants on Pakistani soil since President Barack Obama took office in 2009, US officials said.

The debate in Washington was fueled by a deadly drone strike on March 17 when missiles from the UAV killed more than 40 persons, with infuriated Pakistani leaders claiming that most of them were civilians.

The March 17 attack was a “signature” attack, one of the two types used by the CIA which target groups of men believed to be militants or their sympathisers. The bulk of CIA strikes are signature strikes.

The second kind of drone strikes are called “personality” strikes which target known terrorist leaders.

US officials say that under new rules of engagement, there may be screening of signature attacks but no changes in strikes targeting big terror commanders.

The officials also said that there would be no let up in intensified strikes in Pakistan focusing on the militant Haqqani network. — PTI

Iran raises volume of anti-US rhetoric
Thousands rally to mark US embassy seizure

Tehran, November 4
Iran marked the anniversary of the 1979 seizure of the US embassy today with burning flags and chants of “Death to America”, escalating its anti-US rhetoric ahead of the release of a pivotal UN report on its nuclear programme.

Thousands of students burned the Stars and Stripes, an effigy of Uncle Sam and pictures of President Barack Obama outside the leafy downtown Tehran compound that once housed the US mission.

The embassy was stormed by hardline students on November 4, 1979, shortly after Iran’s Islamic revolution toppled the US-backed Shah, and 52 Americans were held hostage there for 444 days. The two countries have been enemies ever since.

Tehran has raised the volume of its anti-American rhetoric since October when the United States accused Iran of plotting to assassinate Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Washington. Iran calls the accusations false.

Tension between Iran and the West is particularly high ahead of the publication next week of a report by the United Nations nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, expected to suggest Iran is seeking nuclear weapons. — Reuters

ISI behind 26/11, bombing of Indian embassy in Kabul: BBC

London, November 4
Pakistan’s ISI was behind the 26/11 attacks as well as the July 2008 bombing of the Indian embassy in Kabul, the BBC said in a damning report on the military-run spy agency that does not function “without the authority” of the Pakistan army chief.

In a new two-part series titled ‘Secret Pakistan’ on BBC two, Bruce Riedel, the CIA officer who served as adviser to US President Barack Obama, said he had informed the then president-elect about 26/11: “Everything pointed back to Pakistan. It was a defining moment.

“I told the President that Pakistan was double-dealing us and that the Pakistanis had been double-dealing the United States and its allies for years and years, and they were probably going to continue to do so.” Riedel pointed out that “this (the attacks) had the signature of Lashkar-e-Toiba all over it, from the very moment the attacks began.

“And once you link it back to Lashkar-e-Toiba, you link it back to the Pakistani intelligence service, the ISI.” The second part of the programme, aired on Wednesday night also revealed the “CIA later received intelligence that said the ISI were directly involved in training the Mumbai gunmen”.

About the car-laden explosives that went off at the Indian embassy in Kabul that killed 58 persons and injured 141, Mike Waltz, who worked in the US vice-president’s office while George Bush was still President, said: “Through information and a series of events (not to mention preceding intelligence intercepts) it became pretty clear the Pakistanis were behind the (Jalaluddin) Haqqani network, which was behind the bombing.” He then damningly concluded: “The question was how high in the Pakistani state this went. And the answer was pretty high.”

Sherard Cowper-Coles, the British ambassador posted in Kabul at the time said: “A small cell (in the ISI) never knowingly exposed to western eyes are in touch with the Haqqani network.” Riedel also dismissed the belief in some quarters that the ISI was a law unto itself.

“The ISI is a professional intelligence agency. People don’t go about blowing other people’s embassies or giving guns and money to terrorists without the authority of the head of the Pakistani army, chief of army staff.

“The notion that the ISI is some kind of a rogue organisation is a myth.” In the documentary, Taliban commanders have revealed to the BBC the extent of Pakistan’s support for the Taliban’s war against British and American troops in Afghanistan.

A number of Taliban commanders gave detailed accounts of how Pakistan, and in particular its security service helped train, arm and supply Taliban forces that have been killing British soldiers.

According to one active Taliban commander, who fights under the name Mullah Qaseem: “For a fighter there are two important things - supplies and a place to hide.

“Pakistan plays a significant role. First they support us by providing a place to hide, which is really important.

Secondly they provide us with weapons.” Other Taliban fighters describe how they and their fighters were, and are, trained in a network of camps on Pakistani soil. — PTI