[Image said to be from 2006]
A friend passed along an article yesterday from the UK Times, which reported that the United States “was secretly flying unmanned drones from the Shamsi airbase in Pakistan’s southwestern province of Balochistan as early as 2006, according to two images of the base taken from Google Earth.” The pictures, first obtained by The News, show an unidentified flying strip in Balochistan — bearing the coordinates of 27 degrees 51 minutes North, 65 degrees and 10 minutes East — “proof that Pakistani ground was being used,” reported the news agency. The Times noted that they also obtained copies of the images [which are no longer on the Google Earth website] and confirmed that the coordinates match up with the Shamsi base, “also known as Bandari, about 200 miles southwest of the Pakistani city of Quetta.”
In the first image, believed to be from 2006, there are three drones visible, [see above]. However, although The News identified the drones as Global Hawks, which are used only for reconnaissance, The Times cited Damian Kemp, an aviation editor with Jane’s Defense Weekly, who said the drones’ wingspan appears to be 48-50 ft. He noted, “The wingspan of an MQ1 Predator A model is 55ft. On this basis it is possible that these are Predator-As…hey are certainly not RQ-4A Global Hawks (which have a wingspan of 116ft 2in).” In fact, according to a report last month in Jane’s World Air Forces, “Pakistan’s only drones are Italian Galileo Falcos, which were delivered in 2007.”
[Current image of the airbase]
The second image, [believed to be from 2009, see above] “undoubtedly shows the same airstrip as the image from 2006.” According to The Times, “There are no visible drones, but it does show that several new buildings and other structures have been erected since 2006, including what appears to be a hangar large enough to fit three drones. Perimeter defenses — apparently made from the same blast-proof barriers used at U.S. and Nato bases in Afghanistan — have also been set up around the hangar.”
The Times UK noted in its coverage:
U.S. special forces used the airbase during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, but the Pakistani Government said in 2006 that the Americans had left. Both sides have since denied repeatedly that Washington has used, or is using, Pakistani bases to launch drones. Pakistan has also demanded that the U.S. cease drone attacks on its tribal area, which have increased over the last year, allegedly killing several “high-value” targets as well as many civilians. The Google Earth image now suggests that the U.S. began launching Predators from Shamsi — built by Arab sheiks for falconry trips — at least three years ago.
This explanation seems to fall in line with U.S. Senator Feinstein‘s comments last week [thanks for the link Heather], when the chairwoman of the Senate Intelligence Committee said that unmanned Predator aircraft operating in Pakistan are flown from an air base in that country, suggesting a much deeper U.S.-Pakistan relationship than has previously been disclosed. In a CS Monitor blog yesterday, entitled, “Oops! Pakistan condemns US’s drone attacks (but also hosts them),” Issam Ahmed noted the Google Earth revelation is likely to infuriate opposition groups, as well as embarrass the Pakistani government. That is probably an understatement given how politically sensitive the rise in drone attacks has been. So far, the U.S. embassy has declined to comment on the images, while Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas, Pakistan’s chief military spokesman, admitted on Tuesday that U.S. forces were using Shamsi, but only for logistics.
The developments are shocking, no question. But it also leads me to ponder the power of technology today. While it may allow for a greater transparency of information [which can be good or bad depending on who you talk to], it seems to also play an increasingly important role in conflict. Not long ago, I read that Google Earth was playing an unlikely role in Iraq, helping people survive sectarian violence in Baghdad. Several websites were reportedly set up using maps of various neighborhoods so Baghdadis could avoid running into death squads. The technology has also been used for ulterior purposes. Iraqi insurgents, for instance, were known to use the technology to plan their attacks. The Indian government also claimed the Mumbai attackers had used Google Earth to familiarize themselves with their targets.
Here’s another technology-related note: in a unique study published by the MIT International Review, geographers found that simple facts, publicly available satellite imagery and fundamental principles of geography place Osama bin Laden in one of three buildings in the northwest Pakistan town of Parachinar, in the Kurram tribal region near the border with Afghanistan. John Agnew, a UCLA geography professor and co-author of the study noted, “We believe our work represents the first scientific approach to establishing bin Laden’s current location. The methods are repeatable and could easily be updated with new information obtained by the U.S. intelligence community.”
Somehow I think that if Al Qaeda monitors the media, [which they do] making such revelations public may not be the best way to capture OBL. Just a thought.
**Teeth Maestro also blogged about the Google Earth imagery, click here.
This is insane. This article will most definately be circulated through OUH.com (my random e-mails) tomorrow morning haha!
[…] “http://teabreak.pk/google-earth-reveals-secret-u-s-drone-base-42/15364/” }); Read more at: CHUP! – Changing Up Pakistan airbase, airstrip, aviation editor, bandari, base image, drone, earth website, first image, […]
Kalsoom,
Great research — now Zardari and his civilian govt. cannot deny their backdoor deals with the devil. What is really shocking and also insane is that they thought they can get away with their lies and deceit. I suspected this all along when ever a drone attack takes place – the govt will voice protests at the united states( at the same time coddle with them in other matters).
@ its allover the blogs,
Americans must not go unpunished !!
@ but just before doing anything,
know what is a conspiracy theory ?
watch on the websirte
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid =78669294481
92753501
@ Raj,
oh come off it , mate
How very careless on the part of the Pak-US coalition to let these images surface in the media. These coordinates should have been prohibited for distribution by google earth (as many sensitive locations are).
HGW, what I think was the bigger leak was Sen. Feinstein talking about highly classified information in an open hearing! I mean, you should know what you can and cannot talk about. But since Congressmen don’t have security clearances, maybe it doesn’t even matter….
Rafay, what exactly do you mean by “Americans must not go unpunished”? I think I missed something….
I agree Heather, Feinstein’s little mishap is what sparked this whole thing… Leave it to the Democrats to do something like this.
I’m of the opinion that the discovery of the drone base would have come out at one point or another, but having it go public in this manner isn’t the most optimum of circumstances. The more interesting aspect now is how the Pakistani government responds. The US has already taken a significant hit in that general theatre with the eviction notice served in Kyrgyzstan, so the US needs to do its best not to ruffle any more feathers if it wants to maintain its regional capabilities and capacities.
@ poor US State Department’s innocent confessions
on this blog is spectacular.
Today a Pakistani newspaper published an op-ed on the drones calling for the government to “come clean” about the drones, but they put a rather interesting twist on it. http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=163590
James, I saw a few days ago the Foreign Minister still denied Feinstein’s comments. But compared to what Abbas said there appears to be some disparity both within and between the government and military. I’m seeing a trend here….
And seriously, Rafay, what did you mean by “Americans must not go unpunished?”
Yea! Chup gave me a shot out as “a friend.” 🙂
@ Kiyani and PM going for a pilgrimage to US
teaching classes, drones clarifications, lectures
on cohabitations, to get use to the fairy
tales gossips in your comments,
Heather, what I meant was drones to be sent back
as a gift for many Americans embedded in
Afghanistan.
@Rafay
Do not expect the state department or the Sen. Feinstein to come up with a statement admitting their mea culpa.
@ but simple intelligence oblige, news papers and
journalist in Pakistan are the best allies of US
State Department, cons. theories section.
They are telling lies from A to Z, and we all try to
defend them.
[…] Ghost Wars and The Bin Ladens] has an interesting take on Where in the World is Osama Bin Laden, [see CHUP’s previous post on this topic]. According to the writer, OBL is currently in Miranshah, North Waziristan. He noted, “The […]
Dear Kalsoom,
In the presence of technology, you can trace an area through a satellite image. I searched your coordinates on yahoo and MSN maps but what it revealed was contradicting.
Firstly, the lat/long you have given is not complete as the lat/long can get accurate with seconds not only degrees and minutes.
Further I input the respective coordinates and found that the location is not in Baluchistan not even in Pakistan but its in Iran bordering Baluchistan province.
For reference, I am forwarding the links as well:
MSN map:
http://maps.live.com/?form=MSNH11&q=#JndoZXJlMT0yNy44NSUyYys2MS4xNiZiYj0zMi44NDI2NzM2MzE5NTQzJTdlNzMuNzE4MjYxNzE4NzUlN2UyNC4zNDcwOTY2MzM4MDg1JTdlNTQuNjAyMDUwNzgxMjU=
Yahoo Map:
http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTExNmIycG51BF9TAzI3MTYxNDkEc2VjA2ZwLWJ1dHRvbgRzbGsDbGluaw–#mvt=m&lat=27.85&lon=61.16&zoom=8&tt=27.85&tp=1&q1=27.85%252C%252061.16
You can see borders of Pakistan and Iran if you zoom out of the map on yahoo maps.
If part of your column/blog is found wrong by simple means, how can you assertain about the later details? IS YOUR COLUMN/BLOG totally reliable??????
Alis-
First of all, there’s a reason these coordinates were found on Google Earth, not Google Maps, not MSN Maps, and not Yahoo Maps. In the presence of technology, people now turn to Google Earth to get the most accurate locations. I don’t know if you have the software downloaded on your computer, but I just re-checked the coordinates listed by The News and confirmed by the UK Times. I looked up Bandari, Balochistan and not only do the coordinates match up but it is IN Pakistan, within the province. I would be happy to email you a screenshot on Google Earth if that would help ease your suspicions. Please note (as I mentioned in my coverage) the actual image of the airbase has been taken down after the story broke.
Now that I’ve affirmed my own belief that these news agencies didn’t report BS, let me just note something else. Just because you find something at fault with my blog, doesn’t mean my blog is unreliable – I make it a point to list ALL my sources, and this story was reported not just by Pakistani news agencies, but also by highly reputable Western news agencies – The Times UK, the Christian Science Monitor, just to name a few. Not ONLY that, but this story was also covered by several Pakistani blogs – including Teeth Maestro, who also cited KO. In fact, this is what Teeth wrote on his blog: “One can easily verify the authenticity of the picture taken in 2006 with the 2009 image found online on Google Maps by merely inserting the above coordinates [or follow this LINK] in satellite mode.”
I cited all these sources above. I am open to the notion that there is some explanation for this imagery and for the aircraft pictured in the images printed. I am also open to the notion that these news agencies misreported some of the facts (I did see an article that stated the outlets may have misreported the dates of the images, but nothing about the images not being in Pakistan). I never really stated my opinion on the matter, just that it was shocking, but I never claimed to be an absolute certainty either. The point of the post was to note that this was being reported and the power of technology today.
isn’t a some kind of game,is being played by bloggers community?
i think americans want to give the impression to the pakistani people that your fate is solely dependent on our mercy and your govt is nothing but a puppet govt.
i think it is psychological war against pakistani people.
they are relentlessly trying to tell religiou minded people that you are nothing but spineless reptiles.
and they are using CHUP and other bloggers to achieve this goal.
Hmmm…that wasn’t the sentiment you expressed on Teeth on the exact same topic…
because i know the teeth maestro.
any way i have expressed my doubts there.
[…] that the U.S. has allegedly been launching drone attacks from an air base in Balochistan, [see past CHUP post]. Are the government’s protests genuine this time or merely an effort to distance themselves […]