March 27, 2012 | Quote
US and Pakistan Bargain Over CIA Drones
The diplomatic furor threatens to halt the CIA's drone program, which in the last eight years, has killed an estimated 2,223 Taliban, al Qaeda and other suspected militants with 289 strikes, peaking at 117 strikes throughout 2010, reducing al Qaeda's manpower, firepower and reach, according to Bill Roggio at the Long War Journal website, which tracks the strikes. U.S. officials say his figures are fairly accurate, though they would not give more precise figures.
The strikes have markedly slowed to only 10 strikes in the opening months of this year, with the last in mid-March, Roggio said. That puts the program on pace for a total of 40-50 strikes for the year, less than the year before.
Roggio says the strikes so far this year seem to back up that report: out of the 10 strikes, two killed high-value targets, and another strike killed three mid-level Taliban leaders, with no large groups reportedly targeted by any of the drone's missiles. In previous years, an average of only 5 per cent to 10 per cent of targets were deemed high value, with larger numbers of foot soldiers and a much lower percentage of commanders among those hit.