re: #588 Killgore Trout

We didn’t learn much new this morning but I would have guessed that we’ve been flying surveillance over Iraq and Syria as standard operations but I guess that’s not the case. It also indicates to me that the White House never seriously considered Iraq’s request from months ago. at least not enough to do recon and see what’s going on.

wrong again

U.S. Secretly Flying Drones Over Iraq

The U.S. since last year has been secretly flying unmanned surveillance aircraft in small numbers over Iraq to collect intelligence on insurgents, according to U.S. officials.

The program was limited in size and proved little use to U.S. and Iraqi officials when Islamist fighters moved swiftly this week to seize two major Iraqi cities, the officials said.

Before the Islamist offensive, the program was expanded based on growing U.S. and Iraqi concerns about the expanded military activities of al Qaeda-linked fighters.

Officials wouldn’t say what types of drones were being used but said the flights were conducted only for surveillance purposes. The program was launched with the consent of the Iraqi government.