January 23, 2004

Obama pulls the trigger in Pakistan

By: David Donadio

Hope and change for the U.S., Munir Ahmad of the AP reports, but not for al-Qaeda:

Missiles fired from a suspected U.S. spy plane killed 10 people Friday in Pakistan just east of the Afghan border, security officials said, the first such strike since the inauguration of President Barack Obama.

At least five of the dead were identified as foreign militants, an intelligence officer said.

The missile strike on the lawless region where al-Qaida militants are known to hide out is the latest in a barrage of more than 30 since the middle of last year.