Coverage of the Air Attacks in Pakistan

So the war continues in the remote boarder regions of Pakistan.

According to the BBC :

The raid took place in the village of Damadola in the Bajaur tribal area, about 7km (4.5 miles) from the Afghan border. Jets - or in some accounts a Predator drone - reportedly fired missiles at a particular housing compound in the village. Tribesmen there are convinced the strike was the work of the Americans and are very angry at the attack. Reporters who reached Damadola spoke of three houses hundreds of metres apart that had been destroyed.

The Associated Press of Pakistan, the official press agency makes no mention on their website, while talking up a visit by former US President George Bush senior. This is not surprising, considering that the Pakistan government is giving regional assistance to the US in exchange for military aid. However, just because they're not reporting doesn't mean their not furious at the violation of their sovereignty. according to the UK Telegraph “Pakistan is preparing to lodge a formal diplomatic protest over the attack” over the alleged airspace incursion by remote pilotless vehicles. Some of the opposition papers are more forthcoming, the Daily Times giving the situation front page coverage.

Fox News, on the other hand, says that US Senators defended the bombings: “We have to do what we think is necessary to take out Al Qaeda, particularly the top operatives. This guy has been more visible than Usama bin Laden lately.” The piece quotes unverifiable sources “who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the information's sensitivity.”

In short, this exercise in state-sponsored terrorism is another exercise in news myth. According to the US, all is justified in the pursuit of “evil” and the Fox reporting especially, plays the clear-cut good/evil context for something which is patently against international law.

But that doesn't bring back the dead of Damadola.