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US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Steve G.
Date: August 01, 2022 04:55PM
Congrats

US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
[www.cnn.com]

(CNN)The United States killed al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a drone strike, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
Zawahiri, who just turned 71 years old, had remained a visible international symbol of the group, 11 years after the US killed Osama Bin Laden. At one point, he acted as bin Laden's personal physician.
The US government has not yet confirmed his death. President Joe Biden will speak at 7:30 p.m. ET on "a successful counterterrorism operation" against al-Qaeda in Afghanistan, the White House said Monday.

"Over the weekend, the United States conducted a counterterrorism operation against a significant Al Qaeda target in Afghanistan. The operation was successful and there were no civilian casualties," a senior administration official said.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Lemon Drop
Date: August 01, 2022 05:08PM
Good, even if mostly symbolic.

Feels like history repeating that he was hiding with the Taliban in Kabul, in the wake of our troops departure last year.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: RgrF
Date: August 01, 2022 05:19PM
I thought we were done with Afghanistan, will we now keep drones active worldwide?
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Lemon Drop
Date: August 01, 2022 05:23PM
Quote
RgrF
I thought we were done with Afghanistan, will we now keep drones active worldwide?

Well, everywhere the CIA is, yes. This was their drone, not the Pentagon.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: RgrF
Date: August 01, 2022 05:25PM
Well, since the CIA is everywhere...
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: vision63
Date: August 01, 2022 05:40PM
Quote
Lemon Drop
Quote
RgrF
I thought we were done with Afghanistan, will we now keep drones active worldwide?

Well, everywhere the CIA is, yes. This was their drone, not the Pentagon.

It's either going to be drones or boots on the ground. One or the other. Which one would you prefer? Not blasting an enemy to their death won't ever be an option.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Steve G.
Date: August 01, 2022 06:39PM
PBS news

U.S. Govt says Taliban government bigs were behind setting the terrorist up with a safe house in the MIDDLE OF KABUL.


(and they were doing it when trumpo wanted to invite the Taliban to Camp David before surrendering to the Taliban.)
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: mrbigstuff
Date: August 01, 2022 07:51PM
How will the crazies spin this?


Hurts like a bastid...
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Don C
Date: August 01, 2022 07:54PM
I am wondering where we keep a fleet of drones in or near Kabul.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: DeusxMac
Date: August 01, 2022 10:03PM
Quote
Don C
I am wondering where we keep a fleet of drones in or near Kabul.

“The Predator C Avenger offers greater operational and transit speeds than Predator B aircraft. Powered by Pratt and Whitney PW545B turbofan engine, the combat drone is capable of reaching altitudes up to 50,000ft. It has a maximum speed of 400k and endurance of 20 hours.

With a maximum speed of over 200 mph, and a 20 hour flight time, it wouldn’t need to be kept “in or near Kabul” would it?

Say…
- 6 hour flight to target area at 200 mph, that’s 1,200 miles.
- 4 hours in target area at slower speeds
- 6 hour flight return

Or…
- 8 hour flight to target area at 200 mph, that’s 1,600 miles
- 2 hours in target area at slower speeds
- 8 hour flight return
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: RAMd®d
Date: August 02, 2022 04:06AM
Generally, I'd prefer to see some Spec Ops group (DevGru) to go in and take an enemy out.

Yes, that means risk to boots, but I tend to think the risk to civilians is less.

But I'm not naive enough to think it guarantees no injury or death to civilians.

It just seems to me that more drone strikes either injure or kill civilians than ground ops, or that someone in country claims such when not true.

Anyway, a great outcome in this case.


Not blasting an enemy to their death won't ever be an option.

I favor this policy.





I am that Masked Man.

All you can do, is all you can do.

There’s trouble — it's time to play the sound of my people.

Your boos mean nothing to me, I've seen what you cheer for.

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Everybody counts or nobody counts.

When a good man is hurt,
all who would be called good
must suffer with him.

You and I have memories longer than the road that stretches out ahead.

There is no safety for honest men except
by believing all possible evil of evil men.

We don’t do focus groups. They just ensure that you don’t offend anyone, and produce bland inoffensive products. —Sir Jonathan Ive

An armed society is a polite society.
And hope is a lousy defense.

You make me pull, I'll put you down.

I *love* SIGs. It's Glocks I hate.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Speedy
Date: August 02, 2022 04:47AM
Quote
vision63
Not blasting an enemy to their death won't ever be an option.

No blast, this was a kinetic weapon. Apparently the device only killed the target, no one else, using blades attached to the missile. I hope he saw it coming like some of those who were killed in the twin towers on 9/11.


Saint Cloud, Minnesota, where the weather is wonderful even when it isn't.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: SDGuy
Date: August 02, 2022 07:22AM
Quote
Speedy
Quote
vision63
Not blasting an enemy to their death won't ever be an option.

No blast, this was a kinetic weapon. Apparently the device only killed the target, no one else, using blades attached to the missile. I hope he saw it coming like some of those who were killed in the twin towers on 9/11.

Presumably an AGM-114 R9X
"The Hellfire R9X was born from the desire of President Obama to avoid civilian casualties caused in particular by airstrikes from the CIA's drone program."



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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Bernie
Date: August 02, 2022 08:02AM
Quote
mrbigstuff
How will the crazies spin this?





Staunton, Virginia
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: Acer
Date: August 02, 2022 08:03AM
I am simultaneously impressed and horrified that such a thing exists.
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: AllGold
Date: August 02, 2022 10:48PM
I don't know if it was a joke or for real, but Stephen Colbert just said the R9X is nicknamed the "flying Ginsu".
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Re: US kills al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in drone strike in Afghanistan
Posted by: GGD
Date: August 02, 2022 11:48PM
Quote
AllGold
I don't know if it was a joke or for real, but Stephen Colbert just said the R9X is nicknamed the "flying Ginsu".

From the link that SDGuy posted.

Quote

The "R9X" nomenclature is idiosyncratic, and not part of some standard designation system. The R9X has been nicknamed a targeted ‘knife bomb’, the ‘ninja’ bomb or the "flying Ginsu". Shuriken ( literally “hand hidden blade”) is a traditional Japanese concealed weapon that was used for throwing, and sometimes stabbing. They are small, sharpened, hand-held blades. Shuriken are commonly known in the west as “throwing stars” or “ninja stars”. A kunai is a Japanese tool originally used by farmers in the Tensho Period in Japan. Fictional depictions of ninjas feature the kunai as a steel knife that is used for stabbing or particularly throwing. Ginsu is a brand of knives made popular in the United States sold on television using infomercials characterized by a hard sell hawker. Though best known for its late-night infomercials back in the early 1980s, Ginsu has become one of the best manufacturers of kitchen knife sets.
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