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To: RealMuLan who wrote (9019)	10/10/2010 8:59:08 AM
From: RealMuLan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 12464

OT: [The U.S./NATO human right record]--"US Drones Kill Five German Nationals, Amid Europe-Wide Terror Alert safehaven.com Five to eight German nationals were killed on 5 October in a CIA drone strike in Pakistan's tribal region bordering Afghanistan. The strikes were apparently part of a stepped-up CIA campaign said to be targeting credible threats of attacks on Europe by al-Qaeda. The strikes coincide with the US issuance of a Europe-wide terror alert said to be linked to intelligence that came from an Afghan-born German militant. The German nationals killed were reportedly of Arab and Pakistani origin. Washington reportedly has given Germany precise information on potential terrorist targets, including the central railway station and the television tower, as well as the Brandenburg Gate. While Washington is flooding the press with serious terror alerts for Europe, European officials are more sober. Analytical Note: The drone attacks spiked in September, mostly in Pakistan's tribal North Waziristan, and have continued their momentum since. Pakistani officials refute Washington's claims of the numbers of 'foreign' fighters operating in the region. The timing of the US terror alert could be suspect: terror attack fears could boost the case for increased defense budgets. But it could also be a move designed to force Pakistan to take swifter action against militants in its own backyard. Europe should take the warnings seriously, but reactions should be sober and with precedents in mind. Pakistani Supply Route Blockade Puts ISAF Forces at Risk Last week, in apparent retaliation for NATO's cross-border air strikes on Pakistani territory, which were conducted without advance discussions with Pakistani officials, Islamabad imposed a blockade on NATO's Afghan supply route. On 5 October, a NATO container truck was damaged by a small blast near the border after a bomb was placed underneath the truck, which was waiting in a convoy of thousands of tankers and trucks stuck on the border. On 6 October, insurgents burned 22 tankers carrying fuel for NATO's forces in Afghanistan, killing one truck driver on the outskirts of Pakistan's southwestern city of Quetta. In the past week, Taliban forces have taken advantage of the blockade, destroying over 40 NATO supply trucks. The Taliban have vowed more attacks on the NATO supply route if Islamabad continues to allow NATO supplies through. NATO and Pakistani officials met in Brussels on 4 October, but no agreement was reached. On 6 October, NATO officials said Pakistan may soon re-open the supply route, following the release of the Alliance's investigation into the 30 September helicopter strikes on Pakistani territory (three Pakistani soldiers were killed in the strikes). Analytical Note: Some 40% of NATO's supplies for the war in Afghanistan come through Chaman in southwest Balochistan province and through Torkham in northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. Islamabad's blockade of NATO's Afghan supply route is largely a reflection of the tenuous position of the government and President Asif Ali Zardari, who is under pressure over his failure to adequately deal with the massive floods in the face of a strong military that is pushing for his removal. Blocking the Afghan supply route should score him some points among the public, which is outraged over what it views as US incursions on its territory and the violation of its sovereignty. Lifting the blockade will require a strongly worded public apology from Washington, and guarantees that future air strikes will not be conducted without communications from Pakistani security forces. What will not ease the situation is a report released by Washington on 6 October criticizing Pakistan's efforts to fight militants on its territory. The White House report strongly criticizes President Zardari, and could result in Congress cutting support for billions in aid to Pakistan. This report will make it difficult for Zardari to save public face and re-open the Afghan supply route. "