Drone Strikes and the New Pakistani Government

The reported death of a top Pakistani Taliban leader in a U.S. airstrike on May 29 could undermine the agenda of Pakistan's newly elected government before it even takes office. The attack occurred just days after U.S. President Barack Obama announced new restrictions on the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, colloquially known as drones, and just weeks after Pakistan's May 11 general elections, in which voters overwhelmingly supported parties opposed to such strikes. If confirmed, the incident would weaken incoming Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's administration in negotiations with Pakistani jihadist groups, pose new domestic political challenges and further complicate relations with the Obama administration.