Pak mlitary brass wanted drone support: WikiLeaks

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pak-mlitary-brass-wanted-drone-support-WikiLeaks/articleshow/8464042.cms

ISLAMABAD: The American government secret cables leaked by the WikiLeaks have revealed that Pakistan's military brass had requested the US for greater drone back-up for its own military operations in the country's restive tribal regions, according to a report published in the Dawn newspaper.

Earlier, WikiLeaks had exposed that Pakistan's civilian leadership had tacitly agreed to the US drone strikes in the tribal areas but told the American officials that they will publicly condemn such attacks. The latest findings about the military leadership that they wanted the US drones support for their offensives in the tribal belt will add to public displeasure against the generals. Pakistan's military had been reeling under pressure in the wake of Osama bin Laden's killing in a unilateral US raid on May 2.

"In a meeting on January 22, 2008 with US CENTCOM commander Admiral William J Fallon, Army Chief General Ashfaq Kiyani requested the Americans to provide "continuous Predator coverage of the conflict area" in South Waziristan where the army was conducting operations against militants," stated a secret cable sent by then US Ambassador Anne Patterson on February 11, 2008.