The not-so-covert U.S. air campaign has expanded yet again beyond the traditional hunting grounds of the Taliban-controlled tribal agencies of North and South Waziristan and Bajaur. Earlier today, at least one unmanned Predator strike aircraft struck in the Arakzai tribal agency. Twelve Taliban fighters loyal to Hakeemullah Mehsud, the Taliban leader behind the attacks on NATO convoys moving through Pakistan, were reported killed. Prior to December of 2008, all of the U.S. airstrikes were carried out in North Waziristan, South Waziristan, and Bajaur. But that changed on December 22, when U.S. Predators struck in Bannu, a region outside of the tribal areas. Since that attack, the United States hit once more in Bannu and two other times in the Kurram tribal agency. The expansion of the attacks shows the Taliban and al Qaeda are no longer confined to small regions along the Afghan border. The rot has spread. Recently the Obama administration hinted that it was investigating expanding the strike zone to Baluchistan, a Pakistani province that borders southern and eastern Afghanistan. The Taliban shura, led by Mullah Omar, is based in Quetta, while the Taliban run numerous camps and recruiting facilities there. Today’s strike as well as the recent strikes outside of the three main tribal agencies suggests the Obama administration may be serious about targeting the Taliban in Baluchistan.
