Pakistan: Washington Considers Expanding Drone Strikes?

Senior U.S. military officials are recommending that Washington expand the sphere of its drone strikes in Pakistan beyond the tribal belt to the Balochistan province, The New York Times reported March 18. STRATFOR previously has discussed the strong possibility of the United States expanding military operations into Pakistan proper and highlighted the Quetta region in Balochistan as the headquarters of the Afghan Taliban leadership. Should the Obama administration — which lacks any good options in the Taliban issue — act on this advice, the insurgency is likely to get worse.