War in Pakistan

In another US attack within Pakistan, both militants and civilians are reported dead:

BBC Sept 12 08
'Another US strike' hits Pakistan

Five civilians and seven militants have been killed in north-west Pakistan in a suspected US missile attack, local officials say.

Missiles hit two buildings near Miranshah, the main town in the North Waziristan region on the Afghan border...

Early reports said all, or nearly all, of the dead were Taleban fighters killed by one missile.

But later reports from the scene said missiles hit two buildings - in one three women and two children were killed, and in the other seven Taleban militants died.

The missiles were fired from a drone - an unmanned US plane - local people said...

It is the fifth time since the beginning of this month that US forces have carried out cross border strikes, according to local people.

On Monday, at least 14 people were killed and 15 injured in a suspected US missile strike in North Waziristan, witnesses and officials said... (link)

Reuters gives the overall death toll as 14 and adds that 12 people were wounded, though there is no breakdown of the identities of the victims.

The New York Times reports that George Bush approved of the recent escalation of attacks on Pakistani territory in a secret memo in July. This emerging policy was articulated by US Admiral Mullen the other day, saying "until we work more closely with the Pakistani government to eliminate the safe havens from which they operate, the enemy will only keep coming." In this case, "working more closely with" means riding roughshod over and making new Pakistani enemies in the process.

For its part, NATO says it is staying out of Pakistan.