Google Earth reveals secret history of US base in Pakistan

[sabra]

Source: UK Times Online

The US was secretly flying unmanned drones from the Shamsi airbase in Pakistan's southwestern province of Baluchistan as early as 2006, according to an image of the base from Google Earth.

The image — that is no longer on the site but which was obtained by The News, Pakistan's English language daily newspaper — shows what appear to be three Predator drones outside a hangar at the end of the runway. The Times also obtained a copy of the image, whose co-ordinates confirm that it is the Shamsi airfield, also known as Bandari, about 200 miles southwest of the Pakistani city of Quetta.

An investigation by The Times yesterday revealed that the CIA was secretly using Shamsi to launch the Predator drones that observe and attack al-Qaeda and Taleban militants around Pakistan's border with Afghanistan.

US 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 US 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.

Read more: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5762371.ece

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The Shamsi airbase in 2006 with three drones apparently visible

[Soylent Brice]

1. nothing like getting caught with your pants down. n/t

[Bhaisahab]

2. Confirmation

that Pakistan's rulers were lying to their citizens when they claimed no American military action was being carried out on Pakistanis from Pakistan.

But then, what's new about rulers lying to people?

[acmavm]

4. Nothing new. But this is different. This is 'war' and the government

of Pakistan was taking our money.

They played us. That's the irony. We've played so many people throughout time that it's funny when we get it back.

[iamthebandfanman]

5. shared goals

equal shared lies.

[Torn_Scorned_Ignored]

3. Sees Clearly

:hi:

If you look carefully those aren't just oil spots on the photo either.

The upper right shows blackened something. Most likely of course identifying evidence "intelligence" wouldn't want known.

What?
USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA USA!!! :woohoo:

[Oldtimeralso]

6. Look At The Lower Right Quadrant

That sure looks like an ammo bunker.

[file83]

19. What I find more interesting is the light colored tan building NE of the drones...

And all the vehicles parked near it. When you compare it to later photos now, it's gone.

Then:


Now:


My guess is that's the local command/control center for the drones. I know that supposedly they fly drones from Nevada, but this might indicate that that's not always the case. Perhaps during more "sensitive" missions (CIA black ops) they fly from local (read: mobile) facilities.

That tan building is probably delivered via cargo plane.

(Now: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=27.8545N,+65.168E&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.374125,67.5&ie=UTF8&ll=27.854278,65.168602&spn=0.002637,0.003535&t=h&z=18)

[Xenotime]

7. These need to be closed down now.

If Obama is going to make the change he promised, this needs to happen yesterday. Otherwise, the rest of the world will no think of us in the positive light that we hoped.

[MrScorpio]

8. My USAF unit was repsonsible for Predators

Of course, If I tell you what we did, I'd have to kill you

[berni_mccoy]

9. Google shutting down in 3...2...1...

[Towlie]

10. Google Earth Coordinates = 27.8545N, 65.168E

[bushmeister0]

11. This kind of makes those USAF recruitment ads with the predator pilot

recounting the time a soldier walked up to him after a mission to thank him for saving his life sound pretty unlikely!

As if some dude with a joy stick fires at some bad guys and then hours later the unit he helped walks into the base (where they all live) to thank him.

The drones take off from Pakistan and the pilot is in Pheonix, or some place, siting in front of a monitor screen. Pretty courageous!

Give me a break!

[Initech]

12. I found our base in Tikrit on Google Earth.

[file83]

20. Do share your XY with us!

And I don't mean chromosomes!!

[jeff30997]

13. Oops!

They cleaned up the place:

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. The largest building there is new - curious what they are hiding in there?

.
.
.

2 guesses

Drones or UAVs?

[DemoTex]

16. Big-ass hangar with clam-shell doors ..

Good place to keep the Predators out of view during daylight hours.

[Arctic Dave]

21. Looks more like they dug in, not cleaned.

[eggplant]

14. Man, that's a long runway.

Over a mile and a half.

[DemoTex]

17. And half a mile high (2505' MSL)

And look at the compound just to the northwest of center-field. Revetments all over the place. Memories of the MACV compound.

And berms! Berms everywhere on the southeast side. And I don't mean golf course berms.

[bluesmail]

18. Shocking. eom