Sweet revenge against the Taliban

Although Pakistan publicly criticizes the drone attacks, the administration official argued that the recent campaign “is being done in full concert and cooperation” with the Pakistani government. “We’ve been very pleased with the extent of the cooperation,” the official said, adding that the “box” of geographical coordinates within which the Pakistanis allow the Predators to operate was wide enough to permit attacks on targets that are “geographically dispersed.”

The Pakistanis have their own heavy score to settle with the Taliban, whose bombing attacks have stretched from Peshawar to Lahore. The Pakistani spy service, the Inter-Services Intelligence directorate, has been a special target, with attacks on some of its senior officers and regional headquarters. That’s one reason the Pakistanis have been cooperative; they’re angry and they want revenge.

“It became personal for the ISI,” said the senior administration official. Enraged by the attacks on their colleagues, Pakistani officers have helped the CIA gather intelligence in the tribal areas. The Predator barrage “has given the Pakistanis some breathing room,” the administration official said.