(CNN) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates is in Afghanistan, visiting with U.S. ground troops who are trying to drive the Taliban out of Kandahar.
Weeding out militants across the border in Pakistan, however, is much more complicated. The U.S. is now stepping up attacks on suspected terrorists there by launching hell-fire missiles from unmanned drones.
CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen and a colleague from the New America Foundation have created an online interactive map of U.S. drone strikes in the region. He joined us on Tuesday's American Morning for an analysis using CNN's "magic wall."
Read more: Gates in Afghanistan on unannounced visit
Here is a flash for a Smith. ARMED interceptor jets criss-cross the county today. Over land, overdale and overwater they are Gates's, Obama's and my eyes in the sky for enemies of the country. On which side are you on Obama's or the enemies.?
These should also be used in Somalia against the vermin there...including the sea pirates. Blast them out of the water!
Mr. Smith from Oregon WAKE UP, you sound like one of those conspiracy theorist who believe the US Governemnt blew up the world trade centers. OUR COUNTRY needs better surveillance and these drone planes are a good thing. We in the military are TIRED of people like you who hide from the truth and accept our violent world. We have horrific crimes in the US which must be stopped. I guess it will take you loosing a loved one to a violent crime before you really do WAKE UP. And stop blaming BUSH you IDIOT, Obama is using them too as he should.
I agree with Rod in Texas, I hate that our boys and girls have to do this dirty job, but i would much rather chase these murderers around the globe thab have to deal with them in our back yards. Our troops are the best in the world, i am a veteran of the US Armys 101st airborne div, my 20yr old son is in the US Marine Corps. Every young man in my famiky has served this great nation, and were proud to do so...A. Smith and others like her need to wake up,we are at war, make no mistake about it these thugs will happily kill our innocent civilians ,so instead of fretting over their casualties she should be thanking our brave boys and girls for taking on this job they did not ask for!!! Again WAKE UP AMERICA....
I would much rather fight the extremists in their country than here in the US. While its unfortunate civilians get caught in the crossfire at times, its an ugly fact of war. On a somewhat different note, I must wonder what planet A. Smith, Oregon is from.
Attack these nut cases everytime you find them, anywhere you find them. There might be casualties, that is what happens in war. If the Pakistani's don't like it then they should kick the idiots out of their country and stop hiding them. If they can' do it then direct us to where they are and we will TAKE THEM OUT.
No doubt, wave after wave of unmanned killer drones is the future. However in nearly all cases the hellfire missiles also kill innocent civilians that are in nearby homes or simply walking in the approximate area where the missile strike occurs. It is not that rare that high explosives hurl bricks and building debris hundreds of feet from the point of detonation which kill civilians unintentionally as they land.
Bush-Cheney's horrific administration was pushing to have unmanned drones also flying over America's citys. It appears at first they would be 'unarmed' to lull acceptance by the population as they patrolled the unfriendly skies over America's cities. Then they would be armed and start seeking enemy's of the State, whoever that was.