CIA drone war has demoralized jihadist targets

Special to WorldTribune.com

Bill Gertz, Inside the Ring, Washington Times

Behind the scenes of the U.S. military preparations for airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against the Al Qaida offshoot terrorist group Islamic State [of Iraq and Levant}, the CIA is gearing up for new drone strikes and a surge in intelligence-gathering operations to support it, according to U.S. officials.

An MQ-9 Reaper Brimstone missile hits its target.
An MQ-9 Reaper Brimstone missile hits its target.

The agency is beefing up its presence in countries near Syria, including Jordan, as part of increased U.S. military operations in the region, said officials close to the agency. Liaison with regional spy services also is being increased.

The agency already is supplying intelligence gathered from Islamic State social-media accounts, both official and unofficial, on outlets such as Twitter and Facebook. …The aircraft have had a devastating impact — both in killing terrorist leaders inside their residences or vehicles, and as psychological influence, namely, instilling fear among terrorists.

U.S. drone attacks have forced terrorists to remain under cover and limit their public exposure and movement. The aircraft have forced terrorists to remain on constant alert for the signature hum of propeller-driven Predators and Reapers, never knowing whether the drones are unarmed surveillance aircraft, or whether the next sound they hear will be the blast of a Maverick missile hitting their position. Analysts say drone strikes over the longer term have demoralized the Islamist terrorist groups that have been targeted.

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