US Drone May Have taken out al-Qaida operative in Pakistan

Signs are pointing that a US Hellfire missile was the cause fo the explosion that killed Hamza Rabia, puported to be a top operative of al-Qaida. According to reports several pieces of schrapnel bore the inscription "AGM-114," the words "guided missile" and the initials "US." If used the missile was most likely fired by a Perdator drone. The Predator is also credited with destroying a car full of terrorist in yemen last year. Intelligence officals state that Rabia was the number 3 man in the terrorist organization.

MIRAN SHAH, Pakistan - Shrapnel that appeared to be from an American-made missile was found Sunday at the house where Pakistan said a top al-Qaida operative was killed in an explosion, although President Bush's national security adviser declined to confirm the death.
Drone

My brother told me about this a few days ago. I forgot where he heard it buts its pretty interesting. I remember it was weird because he said it happened in Pakistan and Im not sure if the US has permission to be there.


Anyway amazing if it was a Predator. I mean arming these things was really more of a after thought then something they were designed for from the ground up to do.

My hats off to whoever decided to rig them up with Hellfire missiles

Hellfire missiles can ruin your day after seeing what they do to tanks it can't be a pretty site when they hit a car or house.

I think the use of Predators is to ease Pakistani internal security anxieties over the provocative effect US troops operating in Pakistan might have. It's a smart compromise, allowing the US to directly target AQ in Pakistan without drumming up support for OBL and co.

The same strategy has been used to good effect against Al Quaeda in Yemen (I thought it was more than a year ago though), and probably elsewhere.

As for Rabia getting blown up, good.
It's about time the focus of US efforts returned to taking on Al Quaeda, the people who attacked us, instead of Iraq, which didn't.