Suspected U.S. Strike Kills 8 In Pakistan

First Missile Strike Since Petraeus Took Over War In Afghanistan Comes Amid Growing Tension

(CBS/AP)  A suspected U.S. missile strike killed at least eight people Friday in a Pakistani village close to the Afghan border, security officials said, in the first such attack since American general David Petraeus took charge of the war in Afghanistan.

The suspected cross-border attack took place in Kam Sam village in the North Waziristan region, a stronghold of Taliban and al Qaeda militants blamed for attacks on U.S. troops in Afghanistan and rising violence within Pakistan.

One Pakistani security official said 10 people died. Another put the toll at eight. The identity of the victims was not clear and it was not immediately possible to reconcile the differing tallies.

Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. They said they received information from informants and agents on the ground.

Unmanned U.S. aircraft are believed to have carried out at least 18 missile strikes in Pakistan since August, triggering anger from the Muslim country's civil and military leaders, as well as many of its 170 million people.

The attack was the first since the installation of Gen. Petraeus as head of U.S. Central Command on Oct. 31, giving him overall command of the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

Pakistani leaders said they told Petraeus to stop the cross-border strikes when he visited the country earlier this week. He said he would "take on board" what they said, but gave no promise the attacks would stop.

Similar U.S. strikes on the Afghan side of the border have drawn increasingly sharp rebukes from that country's leadership in recent weeks as the civilian death toll climbs.

An airstrike in northwest Afghanistan killed 13 Taliban militants and seven civilians Thursday, Afghan officials said, a day after President Hamid Karzai demanded a halt to civilian casualties in U.S.-led coalition operations.

The United States has conducted missile strikes in Afghanistan and in Pakistan's tribal areas along the border - strikes Gen. Petraeus said Thursday have killed three of the top 20 extremist leaders there.

The strike came just days after another coalition airstrike in the south of the country killed 37 people, mostly woman and children.

[cariboubarbi]

This just creates more militants. When will we learn?

[seer57]

Face it, we have to stand up and not be afraid to strike them. Bush did the right thing by taking the war to them. You can not be a coward behind behind a badge and say well if I use my badge it will make the criminal mad.That is intimidation and in war, you cant be intimidated.

[seer57]

If Mahmoud wants no civilian casualties in Afghanistan some one tell him to stom having his fellow terrorist to stop fighting and making plans from innocent peoples houses and quit expecting us to sit back and do nothing.

[nubeginning]

If Obama just stops being mean to Obama we will all be much better off. No more killing. And, of course they will stop hating us.

[hbevis]

If Obama just stops being mean to Obama we will all be much better off. No more killing. And, of course they will stop hating us.

Posted by nubeginning at 01:53 AM : Nov 07, 2008

YOU ARE SURELY DREAMING.........

[omnibus66]

It is obvious that Bush can neither spell or define the word sovereignty.

In constitutional and international law, the concept pertains to a government possessing full control over its own affairs within a territorial or geographical area or limit.

I''m sure that he would view that as a quaint concept, given that he has said that the US Constitution is ''just a GD piece of paper''.

[petro49l]

Al Qada deals street narcotics and the forcible sexual rape of women and small children. Their terror activities are a mask for craven debauchery. Bin Laden operates a crime syndicate dedicated to illegal profits. He corrupts the Internet for his own financial purposes. Why allow the world to fill with tar heroin, PCP, methamphetamine, LSD, potent hashish, and illicit smut magazines? The Coalition needs a Police Commissioner.

[tincup356]

Bush cannot do anything within reason,just shows how little respect for innocent lives he has.Keep it up George, soon enough you will face war crimes trials and the evidence is stacked against you.may god have mercy on your soul because after all the truths are out NO ONE in this country will defend you.

[tincup356]

people in this country need to look at the huge profit Bush has made from this war.sitting on the board of directors of the Carlyle group he has raked in billions.Shame on you George, making money off dead American soldiers, you are the scum of the earth.

[tincup356]

Congress needs to reopen the 911 investigation, it was a sham.I have never bought the story that a 757 hit the pentagon.that building has more security cameras than can be imagined, yet they cannot provide video proof that a 757 hit that building, even after eyewitnesses said IT was a MISSILE. All those cameras and no proof?the one video released shows a smoke trail and explosion, no 757.If this was a lie , how much more was lies? It''s sad Bush killed his own people to go to war, sad but true.